A Tribute to Dean Moriarty (@wales) - One of Steems Greatest Creatives
On behalf of myself @jaynie and the rest of the Power House Creatives community, this post is dedicated to our dear member and friend @wales, his son @trystan and to all who knew and loved Dean.
FALL INTO THE SKY
By Dean Moriarty
Lay back awhile;
Step out of your eyes,
And relax into your seeing;
This is a place for that:
Under the stars of beauty flow
Into the entrance of this dance,
Into the mystical abandon of the rhythm
Only your heart can hear
To forget,
So you can remember.
Deep star-drop sky, wondrous splendour
Timeless of the sand-sifter, drifting, warm and sigh;
Colours, sundown n sea, breeze and breezed
In joy, ecstatic energy, dancing, comforting;
Oh holy drifter, inspired angel
Subjectively shimmering in such silence;
That within, reflected: the beauty dust of it all...
I recall the day I first crossed paths with Dean. We actually had a bit of an argument in the comments section of one of my posts as he remarked how I sounded like I was full of nonsense and hot air like a lot of other people on the platform. Through our back and forth conversation he apologised to me for his initially abrasive manner and openly explained to me that he suffered from severe depression. My response to that honesty was an invitation to join our community. Despite his initial skepticism and reluctance, he did in fact join us and from that day forward our space changed forever.
Dean was a beautiful anomaly! Talented beyond the grasps of most peoples minds. He could spin words so beautifully cryptic in a matter of seconds and every single day he made our space so much richer with his completely unique presence and everything that he had to share with all of us, whether we were actually around at the time or not ;)
As the weeks turned into months, this new face became a familiar one as Dean shared snippets of his days, his life, his family, his talents, his deepest darkest thoughts and the completely random ones - although, very little about Dean was truly "random".
Not only was Dean a magnificent writer with over 40 books under his belt, a phenomenal photographer with over 700k photo downloads from his pixabay account and works shared by the likes of National Geographic, Dean was a free spirit, a wild soul and an incredibly wise and worldly traveler. We all shared in many of his memories, travels and experiences! We spent many an evening having really deep and heart filled conversations, sharing our music favourites and even attempting combined poetry, where he would write one line and I would write the next.
He brought whimsical fantasy into our every day reality not only within our community but on the Steem platform itself. Dean was an open book in completely poetic style and those of us that took the time to really get to know the magnificent man behind the words and photos, soon came to realise what a beautiful unique soul he was. He was authentic to the core - a rarity in this world. He loved openly, wore his heart on his sleeve and always stood strong for the things that he was passionate about.
In the words of some of our members...
Wales will defintely be missed 😥 I knew him mostly as a member of PowerHouseCreatives, where he frequented the chats and kept charmed us with his simplicity and philosophical musings, a true dichotomy of his wonderful character. One moment he would be telling us about the toast and tea he was having for breakfast and then post something so deep it would leave us scratching our heads until we gathered the magnitude of what he was saying. He was poetic, with a complexity of imagery that was difficult to grasp at times, but full of meaning forethought. One of my favorites of all his writings was the one titled: Where old beat-up suitcases go to die and I will always recall that piece when I think of him.
✽✽✽✽✽✽
A man I came to know many months ago always in for a chat in our Powerhousecreatives home. Both loving and fierce about all the aspects of life both on and offline. I remember the photo camera we raised so he could do the photo blogs. I remember the .quote-bot-convos in the weeee hours of the night. I am glad we got to talk Friday when the first poll came in and were counting down. And we asked him to come to voice chat yesterday! Our server moments are here so I will read some off them back with a glass of wine, and I will say cheers to the nearest star I see and just remember the icon we lost.
✽✽✽✽✽✽
I will miss his easy going nature, kind words, and his passion for good conversations and story telling. It was always comforting to log on and see his discussions with Banjo and Quotebot, and it was always a wonder to read his stories to piece together the wisdom he was so willing to share.
✽✽✽✽✽✽
"Though my time with you was short, dear friend. I am grateful for the precious time it was. You were and are, a wonderful man, writer, and most importantly... friend. You will be missed by many... "
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Dean was a brilliant man. His writing was very special, words worth pondering on many levels. He loved the comments, loved it when you understood the underlying meaning of his writing. Having all of his wonderful writing here on the platform will be a wonderful legacy to his grandchildren.
✽✽✽✽✽✽
Dean, I am heartbroken that you have left us and I am finding it incredibly difficult to process the fact that your presence and energy will no longer be in our server on a daily basis. You were misunderstood and disregarded by many - but not by us!!! I know well that many days were a struggle for you to even get out of bed, but you did! Every single day you did it! You stepped in and put smiles on the faces of those around you. No matter how much you were battling at any given time, you never gave up! You wrote every day and shared your wisdom with the world. When I told you that I love you and that I would always be there for you, I meant it! - No matter what! and that continues to be true moving forward as we ALL hold you close to our hearts. You were a TRUE friend, a NOBLE and HONEST man and one of the most beautiful souls I ever met. You were loved, you ARE loved and you always will be loved my dear, dear friend!
Kissing the sky electric, or the many faces of a writer
By Dean Moriarty
I would say that as a writer you have to take on many faces or be confined to one genre, but even in that one genre there are the different faces of the characters to play with.
Take the one that kisses the sky electric for instance, where madness is a splurge of genius pushing on to the next level: there are many levels, but the genius level is hardest to maintain and must be kept at a constant temperature or else. You must understand this before you begin.
And, a tidal approach may win you many favours in the waters that you swim kissing to the sky, but nothing comes close so much as a question on rye and a blarnious approach to reality looking over your shoulder and wishing you well and staring at you in the mirror.
And the esoteric monkey in the tree is going clapaclapaclap; but then it’s always doing that, isn’t it, it never stops.
And if you see this soldier, shaped like a wishing well, and hanging out of the window of your deepest desires and thinking honeybees and chillicorns, then you may be forgiven for all your sins, but not until then.
People who kiss the sky this way are usually considered half insane, and generally feared them for their honesty and can sometimes be quoted as saying: we shall swing here then if we do nto swing there, and maybe we will blow trumpets in the wind, and maybe we won’t, but whatever, we will not be the headless chicken or the spineless toad, and certainly not lilly livered.
Writers in this style may find themselves waking up in the morning with their head buzzing with all the things of their dreams calling to be written down before they are lost in the distractions of the new day.
On the other hand there are those writers who procrastinate from all their many excuses and are usually back seat drivers who say that one day they will begin that great story as soon as they think of it; perhaps when the writer’s block has finally gone away.
And then there are those that sit down every day with their many characters and churn out with hard work their story that grows and grows until it is finished; whereupon will come the editing and the reediting until it is finely polished and can be sent out for publishing.
And those writer’s aids: the haze filled nights of booze and cigarettes where the waste basket overflows with the rejects, where the music plays in the background hardly heard in the passion of the moment’s inspiration. And oh, those notebooks filled with passing thoughts…
And then there are those that have a voice, perhaps the voice of the people/society in general, their conscience, and that when read it is said: I recognise the truth in this, what is being said I believe. These writers are often seen as revolutionaries, or visionaries, who burn at all the injustices, and who must say what has to be said.
For me it is the coffee drip that keeps me going, that fuels my inspiration. It is that quiet corner of some café where I can be left alone to write what comes; where the many faces of my creation astound me with their depth and experience to bring the next word, and then the next…
Dean,
May your free spirit dance in the sky and forever scatter your unending creative wisdom down onto the world.
REST IN PEACE OUR BELOVED @WALES
Oh my goodness! Sad news.
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very.
This post made me cry.... 😭 @jaynie you wrote it well and I could feel your heart. Missing @wales...and his randomness and as a person. Hugs and kisses to heaven.
Thank you @iamjadeline
It's very sad to kNow that.... RIP
Simply beautifully written.
Thank you.
To speak in his words : “ YOU DID GOOD JAYNIE, YOU DID GOOD “ well done he would have loved the attention, and the shout out
Thank you angel and thank you for being there with me every step of the way xxx
Resteemed
Thank you xxx
I couldn't believe this news this morning, and at first wasn't sure if this meant what I thought it did until I read the post by @trystan.
I'm shocked like everyone else is, but to those who've gotten to know him well and who think so highly of him, remember - you'll always have those moments spent with him to hold onto and cherish. Keep those memories alive.
My deepest sympathy to the family, friends and associates of our friend Wales.
Thank you @free-reign
I'm shocked since yesterday. I don't know what to say.
Rest in peace @wales.
we all are.
I was offline all weekend and woke up to this post. Such sad news!
He was always in the PHC chat room making me smile and sharing his words and wisdom.
Blessings and prayers to his family
I am going to miss his presence terribly.
Indeed a sad loss. Great tribute @jaynie.
I never chatted with the dude but since joining Steemit I’ve experienced a few passing bloggers. The bonds we build as a community of virtual strangers is humbling.
RIP @wales, please say hello to all of my loved ones who got where I’m going ahead of me. 🙌 God bless you, @trystan.
It certainly is.
This was the best memorial possible. You've done well, Jaynie.
Thank you @wwwiebe
Thank you for expressing how many feel, thoughts go out to the family.
xxx
Such a wonderful tribute. PHC is not feeling the same right now.
Thank you and no, it really isn't.
I just realized that his Pixabay's account name was: terimakasih. (it means thank you in Bahasa Indonesia/Malay). Yes, thank you @wales! :)
That is beautiful! Thank you for sharing that. i have just been going through his photos now and was wondering why I had never asked him what that meant. So beautiful!
A great write up indeed @jaynie. Farewell to a great guy!
:(
I know you are sad and you are in our prayers!
Very sad. Thanks @jaynie for these beautiful words.
xxx
What a beautiful tribute @jaynie, @wales was indeed a very complex man. Blessings and prayers to his family.
Thank you
Such sad news during this glorious time of the year @jaynie, I'm so honored to have joined that voice chat with you both last weekend. God bless you @trystan, your father will be forever in our prayers! 🙏
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Yes @wonderwop... who would have thought it would be our last :(
💖
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xxx
I am touched to read this news about the passing of a beloved Steemian. I did not know @wales much but have crossed his posts here and there. Your tribute @jaynie does q beautiful job of helping me to know him better. I am so sorry for your loss. Much love and many blessings to anyone grieving Dean's passing at this auspicious time. Rest in peace dear one. ❤🙏❤
Thank you so much xxx
So sad, and my condolences to his family. He'll be truly missed by many people who have never actually met him, and that's a worthy accomplishment for a life.
yes indeed! He was just THAT awesome!
A beautiful memorial to Dean ( aka @wales) 💔
Although I only got to know him briefly since joining PHC, he left a lasting impression with his deep mysterious posts and frequent use of the .quote.
After joining PHC, @wales was the first person to respond to me when I when on the chat line. Thank you Dean! 💗
Rest In Peace, Dean, in the arms of the angels and entertain the celestial realm with your wit.
Thank you xxx
The chatroom already misses his presence, I can still see the rambling if I scroll back far enough, if only in my mind. It has got to be time for tea and toast where he is. It's always time for tea and toast.
I must say that @wales was so misunderstood, and yet, he was understood perfectly in very many ways. Those ramblings as many called them were those of a man whose eyes have seen so much, his brain was still processing it. Some thoughts were so profound, I couldn't respond effectively enough and others were conversations to the universe.
Au Revoir, Dean. I'm sure you didn't realize the impact your leaving us would have, but, just know that it just won't be the same without you. My deepest condolences go out to your family and to all that you touched and until we meet again... there will be tea and toast and perhaps a nap.
Rest in Peace, my friend.
I just wrote about three paragraphs in response to you and the page just decided to randomly refresh itself.... yay!
Trying this again.
Our chatroom has a big gaping hole in it now. People don't know what they have until it is gone.
Yes, he was misunderstood. So much so that I played knight in his honour to those that chose not to see the magnificence behind the hurt... and you know what, I would do it again and again! I am ANGRY right now, because those SAME people feel it fit to even APPEAR on these posts but as much as I want to have my say, I wont. not now.
I am broken.
Like I said last night, so many considered him to be the one that needed a life line, but in more ways - he was mine.
It is sad to see one of our friends and family here on Steem depart to the other side prayers to @wales and his family.
yes, it is a very hard thing to process.
I only recently connected with @wales by entering one of his conversations with @banjo. I instantly recognized his wisdom and beautiful beautiful voice, and the next day @wales appeared in one of my stories as a character. I fell for him instantly and am so very sad that I will not be able to deepen our newfound bond. What a powerful presence! xo my dear new friend.
That is so beautiful. You don't know this, well... you will now - but the voice chat we had a few days ago... we spoke quite a bit about you and your work. Wales was VERY captivated by you and he voiced that loud and clear. Thought you should know xxx
oh my god! I am sobbing now! I felt that @jaynie, I really did. The connection was instantaneous for me. And strong. Thank you for letting me know that. It means so very much.
My pleasure love. He REALLY loved your work and his uninhibited expression of that on that night was in true character of the authentic man he was. xxx
A beautiful tribute, well done, indeed. I have no other words.
Love you.
A mysterious magical spirit that will never leave our hearts. Somehow I'm sure that he won't stop manifesting in our lives, don't be surprised if you find him typing a few words into your writings when you get distracted!
I think I already had that with him today.
Rest in Creative Peace @wales. Thanks for this beautiful message @jaynie. It just reminded of one question i encourage everyone of us to ask ourselves: "The day i die, how do i want my funeral to look like? What do i want the people who attend my funeral to say about me?" Dean's passing away should serve as a moment of reflection for us who are still living.
yes it should. and thank you.
My brief encounters with @wales always had me amazed at his talent and way with words. I never knew him well but I sure do miss his presence and I thank-you for helping us get to know him a little better in this wonderful tribute!
RIP @wales
Thank you @porters xxxx
What a beautiful tribute. He surely will be missed, I'm so going to miss his randomness and how he keeps the chat box alive.
RIP @wales
thank you @sgbonus and yes, we will ALL miss that...
I suppose he's up there with dear @wolfhart... such a emotional and touching tribute dear @jaynie
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🙏🙏🙏🙏 death is never easy, while I didnt know him personally... reading what you guys wrote brought me to tears. and I pray that everyone has some peace during such a sad time. Much love steemians.
Oh, no! I just found this out. Was reading the announcements in the server and saw your call for submissions, @jaynie, but I missed it. I wish I had known sooner. @wales was very creative, and I will miss him like I miss a long lost friend.
There are many people on Steem who can write. Some are excellent writers. @wales was extraordinary. I told him several times that he should submit his work for publication, and he always said he wouldn't know how. I didn't realize he'd written 40 books. Not only was he a great writer, but he was also a great photographer. A truly talented man, and I wish I had met him in person.
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This is such a beautiful tribute, @jaynie. My heart feels so heavy over Wale's sad passing, but somehow the beauty of your post and the realization that a person's written words live on feels sweet. The life of a person that creative and prolific, who touched so many lives with his words and wisdom, is a life to celebrate.
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I am speechless. A part of our PHC family who will surely be missed. Rest well my friend and let the angels guide you home.
I am shocked. I saw some of your twits yesterday, @jaynie and I did not quite undertsand. I was busy doing other things and did not bother to find out. This is a really sad news. I knew @wales only through comments interchange, but I was fond of him. I liked his no-bullshit attitude.
I remember one argument that ensued in the discord and he even quit the group for some time. He was a believer in people's need to get along with each other, otherwise, what was the point.
I am deeply moved by your post and I know I will have a long day ahead of me processing @wale's death.
My deepest sympathies to all those who were close to him.
May he rest in peace.
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Great tribute to @wales.
How could I describe this post? I only reach to this: “immense” no matter if I think in my natural language (Spanish) or English...
Immense as the person you painted here... we’re all immense though and unique.
We’re soon meeting somewhere else over that sky so sadness is not the option.
Big hugs over there...
Beautiful tribute @jaynie. @wales was definitely a character. I agree misunderstood. I admit sometimes his writings were a little too deep for me. It too me a while to realize there was a message in everything he wrote. I always appreciated when he stopped by one of my 'creative' posts and gave his blessing.
I hope he's enjoying his sandwiches😊
I have never read a more beautiful outpouring of love in a memorial tribute! @steemitbloggers♥️
It's how you are remembered when you are gone,
the lives you unknowingly touched, your random acts of kindness, the thoughtful words that meant everything to close friends and total strangers alike, a laugh when someone needed it most, a comforting whisper in the darkness...
A truly humble and talented man you were, Dean.
🙏 May you rest in eternal peace @wales 🙏
Belated well-wishes to the soul that was @wales, I enjoyed his left-of-center prose and poetry, free flow of thought and steam of consciousness. May the departed soul be blessed with the protection of Narasimhadeva and the mercy of Radharani.
A beautiful tribute... to a beautiful man whom I wish I met.