I am

I wander about in the jungles of perception looking for things I do not know yet, seeking for things I need but am not aware of, hunting for prey to feed my want for self.

I gather experiences in my travels and use my intellect to gain some control over my uncontrollable existence and a focus for my searching mind.

I crave knowledge because only this gives me the power to maintain some degree of contentment in a universe abhorring the stagnation this may lead to and forever pitted against its finality.

There is nothing I own but my ephemeral thoughts; one replacing the other in a constant flow of consciousness building as a river fed through tiny streams.

This river I attempt to harness and guide so that I become master of my own being and not a simple puppet dancing to a gaudy tune played by others.

All I posses is on loan and will be given back one day, so it is not to be valued beyond its temporary contribution to my desires. Even the constant thoughts- I call me - will be lost in time unless I pass them on to others and feed them into other rivers that will in turn be fed into still other rivers.

Hopefully there will be an ocean to finally wash into somewhere down the line so that all this pain and suffering, this struggle can have purpose.
There is no truth I hold in absolute certainty; I am too weak and feeble, too easily impressed and horrified, too ignorant and temporal to have the clarity of logic required to achieve absoluteness. Yet to strive towards it is all I can do with my precious and limited time, for it is the only thing that offers any transcending meaning to my life.

My only pride is gained through being more aware than the other, more wise, more reasonable than my brothers and sisters, but even this is based on a preprogrammed instinct I fight to overcome.

I refuse to give into emotion, both positive and negative, because one cannot separate the two. If one wants to be unaffected by insult one must also give up the superficial pleasures of flattery.

I refuse to give into ego and become ensnared in my own mind. Ego is only the flame that drives me and like all flames it can burn me if embraced completely.

I refuse to be indoctrinated into social, economic, cultural and religious dogmas that attempt to harness my spirit for their own benefits.
I will play the game open-eyed and knowing.

I refuse to be a slave to a larger whole and a blind follower of false ideals.
This may offer a shallow happiness to the ignorant and comfort to the clever but both are prisoners to the system.

I call no man master and ask to be the master of none but myself.
Companions are welcomed just as long as they do not strive to control or dominate me or to raise barriers before my goals.

I will use the stupidity of others to accomplish some happiness and experience some pleasure in an existence I neither chose nor built. But I will not judge myself or find pride in doing so. To dominate dogs and beasts is easy and to value yourself for doing so is to belittle your own persona. To become alpha male or female may be considered an achievement by some but to revel in the accomplishment is to become one with those you dominate; to find meaning in bestial pursuits of procreation and survival is to equate yourself with a common animal.
(Is a queen ant something to be emulated and worshiped? Should we admire a wolf pack leader?)

To dominate yourself and control your existence is the only thing worth striving for because only this can lead to true power and contentment.
"Man is to be overcome" Nietzsche said and I can think of no other more worthwhile endeavor.

I seek to overcome the only man I truly know: myself.
I am the wanderer.