It's all unfortunate, and no one has any sense. We wish to live with a lightness, with vitality. And why not? It's the only way. Yet, yet. Always an anchor of the past, holding us back from darting forth, without a thought. Reminding us: no one is free until everyone is free.

Asking of us: is freedom worth its loneliness? And here we are. Freedom isn't loneliness. It's friendship. Where we reveal ourselves. Exist and perform ourselves. Be.

We need each other to be free. Besides familial ties, bonds of love, sex, romance, we need friendship above all, to thrive. What happens in a world where it begins to collapse? When it's no longer the prime mover of things. Fascism? Something worse? Yes. That.

The basic ideas of love, fraternity, compassion and forgiveness are all still relegated to tbe category of sentiment. It's what we actually need as tbe guiding hand. The difference between sentiment and values is all but minute. Eg. Liberty (freedom) and equality (compassion).

And if we're being french: fraternity (love, especially of a filial kind). We must see values rooted in human sentiment, human goodness, for it's what we all crave. The wicked also dream of love.

What I'm trying to say today is this: principally we've wanted the same thing, regardless of ideology, era, class, identity, location or existential stance: to love, to be known, to leave this earth beloved.

It's achievable, with a bit of clarity. Friendship rubbishes the 'other', makes us into a bit of them, and turns them into a bit of us. We're constantly negotiating our spaces in this world. How can we if we don't learn from our primary relationships.

The first lesson is in the way we conduct our friendships, and there is only one way to uphold them: with integrity, honesty and loyalty. Only one way to perform them: artfully, with grace, ethics, charm.