Human existence discovers itself
as something unclear,
even to itself,
as to where it came from
and where it is going.

It is as if Dasein (existence)
has been handed over
to human beings,
whose being is thereby revealed
to be a burden
with which they
have been laden.

Just why
one has been so burdened
is unknown, even to itself;
only the fact of the burden
is clear.

The Self-Overcoming of Nihilism by Nishitani, Keiji, trans by Graham Parkes and Setsuko Aihara, page 164

Saturday morning. After “sleeping in” for an hour, here I am at Starbucks. For some “reason” I feel in a fog. “Fishbowl-like” my sense of sight and hearing control-knob is turned down. What partially obstructs the usual mental processing of sense data, is unknown. It is as if there is a roundabout in my head. I mean something like a traffic circle where you have to time your vehicle to every other vehicle entering and leaving. Reality demands extra effort.

Why the muzzy mood on Saturday morning? Perhaps two full glasses of wine at Fox Valley Winery in Aurora (on an empty stomach) is cause enough. I do not drink alcohol as a routine. In the room, not one but two glasses seemed apropos for the Cabaret live-music event.

Or perhaps losing an hour of sleep due to the tornado warning that erupted from our cell phones? Not that I begrudge being warned. Losing sleep is preferable to being dead, in a wrecked house.

Another possibility, the passage into law of a bill to keep the federal government in business took place last night, with democratic support. A friend mentioned he feels surprised at how quickly the historically respected norms and function of democracy have collapsed by the assault of the Trump movement. Then another old friend, via email conveyed to me the obverse interpretation of political reality:

But I think the new boss is not only not corrupt but much more for the people, which is wonderful to see.

Fair enough a reader is possibly asking, – but what is your point?

As Nishitani wrote reflecting upon Heidegger’s philosophy 1) What we have is the absence of clarity as to our exact location on our individual journey. We know that we feel, and that feelings come and go and change, without ever being able to know for sure a reason. 2) The fashioning of a world, a future habitation has been “handed over” to us. We’d best “smell the flowers,” wake-the-fuck-up and take responsibility. So far no divinity has risen to save our chestnuts from the fire. 3) So I feel out-of-sorts once in a while? Everyone else does too. Sometimes the hidden cause goes to what I have done. And sometimes the cause was in-the-cards before I was born. “This” is the type of mammal that I and you are. Let us help one another to accept our burden, our opportunity.

We need a tune do we not? I suggest Stayin’ Alive by the Bee Gees.