Hello, Reader.

What does it mean to be a disappointed idealist? Does one choose such an outlook on life? Is it even desirable?

To tell you the truth, I am still trying to figure out the answers to these questions. What I do know is that one should never surrender one’s ideals even if reality disappoints you, even if it means you’re alone in the fight. It is better, I would argue, to experience the in-between, liminal, bittersweetness of being an idealist who sees fleeting glimpses of his or her ideals and values in reality or, even better, creates and gives form and substance to those ideals and values and lives them out and tries to come as close as possible to them than to be the cynic who gave up, the cowardly cynic or the despairing nihilist who needs to tear everything and everyone down to feel strong and tall so as to never be disappointed and hurt again.

Some of the best experiences I’ve had have been aesthetic experiences through art, literature, music, reflection. I’ve decided to write about some of those experiences here to capture them for myself and for others. I write about things I’ve read, seen, felt, experienced on life’s way that have stuck with me, that I try to hold on to, that I think we all wonder and worry about in order to uphold the value of our ideals in such a way as to attenuate, rather than exacerbate, the disappointment and despair. It’s a balancing act that goes better some days than others. I hope you will read along with me, dear Reader.