Ask not for whom the bell tolls

It tolls for thee.

There are times when the moment calls, times and places when we can only answer what is asked of us, or we can fail . We can refuse to answer, and dwell in silence, and watch, and wait, and become unredeemed.

When they happen, they are unique. They are places of definition. They are momenents we use to make ourselves. The decision is the forging place, the crucible, where we are made or where we are undone. Where we are condemned or justified.

And some silences are unredeemable.

I answered the call, and in that moment knew myself for who I was, and knew it to be good, and watched while others stood silent. There is only to answer, or to fail the test. In and that failing they condemned one of their number, named amongst their friends. There is nothing so dangerous as the weakness of men. The tragedy of cowardice is that its failure is to the cost of better men. The justice? Those characterised by its failure are condemned to be defined by it, for simple want of truth and courage.

The common currency of true friendship is the courage to bear its cost when the call comes. To ask not for whom the bell tolls, but to act, and to understand that in that moment, one must do what is right, one must be counted upon without excuse, that one must stand in the world as onself, and live with what that means.

Squat to do with poker. But hell.

Congrats to Pauly, Spaceman and Felicia. Not that it means a hell of a lot from a complete stranger like me, but hell, you didn't ask for whom the bell tolled.