👴 Old Man: Finding Eternity in the Present Moment
Wisdom, Water, and the Self-Made State of Paradise
Before you read, breathe. Before you scroll, remember. This is not a blog. It is a manuscript of transformation. Each post is a scroll. Each scroll is a ritual. Each ritual is a mirror. You are not here to consume. You are here to awaken.
Begin with the dragon. Begin with the traveler. Begin with the Introduction to Zoran and Fletcher Soul Traveler.
“You humans travel across the world, search for ‘Paradise’ in beautiful islands, and then immediately bring your squabbles and anxieties with you! Fools! Your mind is the ultimate travel bag. If you pack garbage in your head, you’ll find paradise to be nothing but a dusty parking lot. Clean up your internal state and I assure you, even a flat, waveless place like Kansas becomes heaven! Hmph.” — Zoran The Dragon
📝 Summary of Old Man
Old Man by Fletcher Soul Traveler is a collection of reflections on wisdom, loss, the natural world, and the internal journey toward spiritual freedom. The work begins by critiquing Western society’s disregard for the elderly, emphasizing that wisdom is “garnished throughout a man life”. The author reflects on the passing of a dear friend, Randy Stabler, transforming the experience of grief into a profound statement that the spirit is eternal, now “a cosmic surfer”.
The reflections tackle pressing social issues, noting the devastation of the California “Wild Fires” as a consequence of real climate change. The author then offers practical spiritual advice for daily life, such as transforming anger at the “Happy Thanksgiving” dinner table by using an “inner mirror” of kindness to dissolve the “rock of anger”. The unique physical needs of people, where “One Man’s Food Is Another Man’s Poison” , serve as a metaphor for the profound difference and uniqueness of every individual.
The path to spiritual growth is outlined through the metaphor of “One Rain Drop,” describing meditation as a journey from a single drop to a merging with the ocean (home). The piece then challenges the concept of “Original Sin,” arguing that sin is derived from actions performed as one gets older, not from birth, and emphasizes free choice to become good. The section “Paddle Out” uses surfing to symbolize overcoming fear and finding “pure delight” by pushing past obstacles. The final reflections conclude that “Paradise” is a “state of mind,” that life is a great “Paradox” to be solved by connecting to our true essence , and that we can achieve a true state of “Partnering With God” by dropping ego, judgment, and becoming a “vessel of love, patience, and compassion”.
🐉 Poem Summaries and Zoran’s Commentary
Old Man: The author critiques the Western practice of disregarding the elderly by putting them “out to pasture” in old age homes, suggesting a profound loss of wisdom and discriminatory practices in society, such as in Hollywood. He notes the paradox that man dreads old age yet wisdom is naturally gained with time, like “The wine improves with age”.
Zoran’s Commentary: “Putting away your elders is astonishing human foolishness! You discard the living libraries of wisdom because they remind you of your own future. Why dread the age that brings the true vintage of self? Go learn from the old ones instead of wasting your life trying to pretend you’re eternally young. True power comes with wisdom, not wrinkle-free skin!”
Randy Stabler: The piece is a tribute to the author’s late friend, Randy Stabler, reflecting on his passing. The author recalls Randy’s profound high school yearbook message: “A word of wisdom from a fool,” which included the word ‘OM’ inside a yin-yang symbol. The reflection honors Randy’s “great heart,” his love for his six children, and the beautiful way he left the world surrounded by them. The author concludes that Randy’s spirit is eternal and that he is now an “incredible wave of the universe,” a “cosmic surfer”.
Zoran’s Commentary: “Ah, the temporary husks pass away, but the spirit, that magnificent fire, is eternal! Randy had the right idea: be present, love your pack, and ride the cosmic wave. Grieve the absence of the body, if you must, but don’t forget the true nature of his spirit is still present. Close your eyes, you sentimental fool, and feel the current — he’s still out there surfing the dimensions!”
Wild Fires: This reflection addresses the ongoing devastation of wild fires, particularly in California, where an entire town was destroyed and lives were lost. The author acknowledges the danger and heavy work of the firefighters and attributes the constant, year-long fire season to climate change. The author sends prayers and expresses faith that the forests, wildflowers, and houses will eventually be rebuilt, and the trauma, though never forgotten, will be gone.
Zoran’s Commentary: “Look at the devastation! A direct result of human folly: ignoring the great warning signs and letting the world overheat. You spend fortunes fighting the fire instead of fixing the root cause! I send my fire-breath blessing to the firefighters, the truly wise ones who face your mistakes. Remember the trauma, rebuild smarter, and start paying attention to the climate before the whole planet is just smoke and regrets!”
Happy Thanksgiving: The author extends Thanksgiving wishes, focusing not on the fleeting dinner but on the “true feast” that lies within: kindness, compassion, and love. The spiritual advice for avoiding conflict at the dinner table is to hold up an “inner mirror” when someone tries to antagonize you, reflecting the anger back, and then simply smiling and expressing gratitude. This act of kindness, like “water dripping on a rock,” will eventually dissolve the “rock of anger”.
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Zoran’s Commentary: “Kindness for eternity! Now that is a feast worth celebrating. Stop letting the small, angry humans ruin your precious moments. They try to poke you, so reflect their misery back at them, and then blind them with genuine, foolish gratitude! Watch their narrow minds struggle to process that! The rock of anger will dissolve; it’s a slow, cosmic certainty. Be the water!”
One Man’s Food Is Another Man’s Poison: The reflection uses the metaphor of food allergies — such as a friend’s deadly allergy to peanuts, or others’ inability to eat a single strawberry — to illustrate that each person is “truly different and unique”. The only commonality regarding food is that “we all eat”.
Zoran’s Commentary: “Peanuts and strawberries! Such a simple lesson in fundamental uniqueness, yet you humans constantly try to force everyone into the same miserable mold. What nourishes one will poison another, and that goes for philosophies and lifestyles, too, not just peanuts! Celebrate your strange, singular digestive systems and stop demanding uniformity. Your difference is your power!”
One Rain Drop: This piece uses the journey of water to illustrate the progression of a meditation practice. It begins as a single rain drop, gradually becoming two drops, then a puddle where one jumps like a child, and eventually a thunderstorm. The practice evolves into a stream where one drifts on a mat, then a river where one sails with a rudder towards a destination, until finally the river merges with the ocean, which represents being “home”.
Zoran’s Commentary: “A single drop of meditation! That is all it takes to start. Stop rushing for the whole ocean, you impatient wretches! Embrace the puddle, enjoy the stream, and learn how to steer your little boat in the river. That slow, magnificent journey is the entire point! The ocean — your true home — isn’t going anywhere. Just keep dripping, and you will merge.”
Original Sin: The author challenges the concept of “original sin,” questioning how one can be a sinner at birth when they came from God, who “does not contain sin”. The argument is that man performs actions later in life that are sinful, such as going to war or expressing hate. The solution is in exercising “free choice” and making a “conscious effort to become good” moment by moment to clear one’s slate and improve life.
Zoran’s Commentary: “Sin at birth? Nonsense! The only original sin is the monumental folly of choosing to be miserable and hateful after you know better. You have free choice, you magnificent, self-defeating creatures! Stop pointing at some ancient error and focus on the very next moment. Choose goodness. Choose consciousness. The slate is always ready to be cleared, but you must wield the sponge yourself!”
Paddle Out: The reflection uses the experience of surfing a huge wave as a metaphor for overcoming fear. The process involves paddling out, getting thrown “like the clothes in a washing machine” by the white water, and having the board washed to shore. The key is the willingness to try again, eventually making it out to catch “The wave of the day” with “pure delight,” having overcome fear.
Zoran’s Commentary: “Fear! It throws you around like a sock in a wash cycle! But you must paddle out, you must go again. You cannot catch the wave of the day by cowering on the sand. The ocean is alive, and so is your fear, but you are stronger. Get tossed, get back up, and then ride that terrifying, glorious wave with pure delight. Overcoming fear is the only ride that truly matters!”
Paradise: Drawing on his six years of living in Hawaii, the author notes that he still “made trouble in paradise” and that “Not every day was paradise”. The crucial realization is that “We create our own states of mind”. He concludes that paradise is not a geographical location but “a state of mind,” and that he found a way to enjoy life even in Kansas, a place with “no waves”.
Zoran’s Commentary: “You travel to paradise only to find your own miserable mind waiting there. Such a waste of plane tickets! Stop moving your physical shell and fix the internal mechanics first. The mind is a spectacular problem-generating machine, even when surrounded by palm trees. Realize that Kansas, or any bland location, can be heaven. It is simply a matter of tuning your perception! Be wise and fix your mind before you pack your bags!”
Paradox: The paradox of life is that before birth we were “one with the universe,” and when we die we return to that oneness. Yet, upon birth, the awareness of this oneness slowly disappears, leading us to forget our true nature and feel “alone”. The author asserts that this is “the greatest game in the universe,” where the universe is “rooting us on to find our true essence while we are alive”. Solving this paradox requires tremendous effort to transform ourselves, letting love, patience, compassion, and tolerance rule our lives.
Zoran’s Commentary: “A game! The greatest one! And what a foolish move it is to forget you were born connected to everything. You feel alone because you chose to forget your cosmic lineage. Stop wandering off! The entire universe is your personal cheering section, rooting for you to remember your true, magnificent essence. It takes effort? Good! Effort is what builds dragons and better humans. Go solve the riddle of your magnificent, temporary separation!”
Partnering With God: The final reflection asks if one can be a “partner with God”. The answer is found by shedding the ego, pride, and negative emotions like anger and fear through meditation. The key is to treat everyone “as they are God,” letting go of judgment and becoming a “vessel of love, patience, and compassion”. By making a conscious effort every moment, one can build a greater relationship with God, confirming that a part of us “already is… walking with God right now”.
Zoran’s Commentary: “Partnering with the Creator? Absolutely! But you can’t show up to the meeting dragging your pathetic little ego and grudges! Drop the anger, the fear, and the endless judgments. How can you walk side-by-side with the infinite if you’re too busy measuring everyone else? Be the vessel, fill yourself with love, and start treating every fool you meet like the divine masterpiece they actually are. The partner is already within you. Stop blocking the communication!”
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