Dear Dr. Seuss

August 10, 2015

Dear Dr. Seuss,

When I was a child we talked about all the places I would go, where this head full of brain would tell my shoes full of feet where to go. I’m sorry to report Dr. Seuss, against your wise council, I got held up in the one place you most forewarned me against, the waiting place.

You are right. Everyone is just waiting. It is so easy to likewise wait with everyone. The only thing that doesn’t wait in the waiting room is the clock on the wall, whose hands spin so sneakily slow yet so freakishly fast, until one day you awaken to the realization, you have waited too long.

It’s funny Dr. Seuss that a dream would awake me. I dreamt of a man. Standing on a mountain. High above the clouds. His back strapped to V-shaped wings. There is a wooden ramp some meters in length on a downward slant on mountain’s edge. It was four echoes of his feet against the wood plank before the wind lifted his wings. In the most quiet and peaceful sound I ever could’ve imagine, the gentle soar of the man above the clouds.

The dream disappeared and these four dim and drafty walls reappeared, and after all this time since you and I have spoken, that is when I heard your voice shout to me, “No, this is not for you!” It startled me right out of that waiting place. I can’t tell you Dr. Seuss if it was my head full of brain that got my shoes full of feet going, or if it was my shoes full of feet that got going and my head full of brain had no choice but to follow, but life was happening, and I started to happen too. Now I’m writing in this little black notebook to tell you Dr. Seuss, about, oh, all the places I am going and things I will now do.

August 11th, 2015,

Dear Dr. Seuss,

You can wish me that congratulations now. My ticket is purchased for a long-distance flight. In seven days I’ll be off and away and the flight will take just overnight. You are right Dr. Seuss, it’s time for me to head out of this town and off to a great place. My mountain awaits.

August 18th, 2015

Dear Dr. Seuss

I wish you could’ve heard it Dr. Seuss. The rhythmic sound of the axles moving the train along the tracks. I wish you could’ve sat across me and marveled at the view, because every glance out of the window was a vision of an artist’s paintbrush. It’s mountains that pierce the sky. Tree lines that go on forever. Lakes reflecting everything above them in a collage of color on their mirror surfaces. If it wasn’t for the undeniable beauty of every glance outside, I would’ve fallen asleep to the sound and gentle rocking of the three hour and twenty-four-minute train ride.

Pulling up to the station’s stop, I saw the strangest thing. Strange to me because I’m not used to seeing such strange things even if that thing isn’t strange at all. I know you know a thing or two about strange things Dr. Seuss, some may even say you are a sort of expert, wrote the book on a thing or two of the such, but that is a different story entirely. What I am trying to say is I did not expect to see the red cable car emerge from the tree line ascending the mountain at a seventy somewhat degree angle. It took my brain a moment to comprehend something my eyes have never seen.

When my train stopped at Interlaken Ost, I found the entrance to that red cable car, and good thing I went when I did, because I caught the last funicular up the mountain! What would you know, that building on top is a restaurant, and what would you know, I placed my order for a cup of soup just before the kitchen closed. Dr. Seuss, with a hot bowl of soup in hand, there I sat at 1,322 meters above sea level overlooking Lake Brienz and Lake Thun, and the mountain peaks of Eiger, Monch, and Jungrau. There is such a drastic difference between sitting silently in this place and waiting in the waiting place. You’re right Dr. Seuss, my heart, it is opener here, in the wide-open air.

August 20, 2015,

Dr. Dr. Seuss,

The yellow van pulled up and the side door swung open like a scene from a heist and this was the getaway vehicle. There was a feeling of excitement and wildness. Got in? Of course I got in! We swung around to three more stops, each time adding a person. A good way up a mountain all of us took exit except for the driver who would meet us below. We arranged gear, tethered ourselves to the person whose name we chose out of a hat (no Dr. Seuss, there was no cat in the hat), and waited patiently for an opening in the fog.

Dr. Seuss, do you remember my dream in the waiting room? I recognized all this. This person I am tethered to and these V-shaped wings. This too was a different kind of waiting. The waiting for a dream about to come true. A break in the fog was all that was needed. After 42 minutes, an opening showed itself, and we had to make haste. Quick footsteps and the first glider soared. Quick footsteps and the second glider soared. Then it was our turn. It’s a dash. We run together, about 10 strides and then that sound, when the wind lifts the glider and there is nothing but the streaming through air. Sure, there is the exhilaration of being up there, up in the air. What was even more wondrous, was how my heart slowed, and how it even felt like it let go, of what I’m not sure I can say, but of something I did not need to stay.

You were right Dr. Seuss. On this day I joined the high fliers. On this day I soared to new heights.

August 25, 2015

Dear Dr. Seuss

I went on those hikes you said I would. I hiked around mountains, inside mountains, and sped my way down a mountain on a toboggan. Dr. Seuss, you said there would be periods where I would do things all alone whether I liked it or not. Somehow moving these shoes full of feet got this head full of brain to settle down, so for the most part, I liked the alone time. Actually, I liked it a lot.

Imagine my surprise when I sat down with coffee in hand next to a beautiful woman in the train station and we got to talking; and just kept on talking. The conversation flowed as easy as that second cup of coffee, the one we chose over each of our earlier trains. Alas, when the time for the train that could not be missed approached, I walked her to her platform, and as the train arrived we shared a kiss, and when the train departed, I stood alone again on the platform. Have you ever experienced a kiss that was both a hello and a goodbye? It's more than I could of dreamt Dr. Seuss, that this sweet adventure be officially sealed with a kiss.

It's time to head back Dr. Seuss. Yes to the same place, but in a new head and heart space.

August 10, 2020

Dear Dr. Seuss,

On the anniversary of our conversations, it feels most fitting to come back to this original black notebook to write. I spoke with the other doctor. You know, the good doctor. The doctor in the white coat who sits with a sigh, to share with you news about nothing he can do.

It’s ok Dr. Seuss. I am at peace with it. You were right. My mountains were waiting, and when I found them, I found it wasn’t about getting to the top. Instead, I played in them, around them, and flew over them, and oh what fun I have had in all the places I did go. Was my life a success? Dr. Seuss, I would say 98 and ¼ percent yes! Thank you Dr. Seuss, you have been a much needed wingman.

Now if you don’t mind Dr. Seuss, I know these conversations have been between you and I, but I’m going to use the last pages of this notebook to speak with someone else.

Dear Josh,

Hello big brother. You receiving a vanilla envelope labeled, ‘open me first,’ and now having its contents, this notebook in hand, means my body has done all that it can do and I have passed.

Do you remember reading me Dr. Seuss when we were young? Remember me constantly bringing you, “Oh, The Places You’ll Go,” begging you to read it to me again and again? It seems like that memory stuck with me and helped exactly when I needed to get un-stuck. Dr. Seuss ended up being good medicine. In the summer of 2015, I wrote to Dr. Seuss when I took that trip to Switzerland. I liked the idea of sharing with Dr. Seuss of what I was actually doing with my life. Now I realize I was writing so you would have something to read when you may find yourself in a hang-up or bang-up, or in a lurch or in a slump; I hope these help you un-slump yourself during challenging times, and you never wait in that waiting place. That small box labeled, ‘read me second,’ contains my many black notebooks, accounting my adventures in the places I have gone and the things I have done.

Flip to the last two pages of this book. Between the pages, I placed something there for you. You should have just pulled out a check written to you for $20,000. While I was able to leave you a few things, this money is conditional. It is to be used to afford experiences of the places you would like to go. This is not a mission of serious nature. These are funds to be used for the fundamental purpose of funding fun. I have found that when one’s head full of brain gets too mental, it’s fundamental to find your fun, and at least for me, some new space always helped me find my heart space. Bro, I can’t wait to see all the places you are going to go.

But first I need you to do something for me. On the next page I drew a map and placed coordinates. It is rather easy to find. It is a place of some elevation with a view. You know how I hated boxes, so I have no desire to have my remains remain in one. You know how I loved to hang-glide, so when you think of me, I don’t want you to look down at the ground, but look up and around. Within six months grab my ashes and go to the one place I know you won’t want to go, but it's the place I most need you to go; to the place where you’ll let me go.

I know you’ll do and be great in this life, because you’re that kind of guy.

Love Always,

Matt