Dedicated to Bill Hicks, one of my personal heroes. A hero of truth, of comedy, of the human condition.
Bill, you're missed dearly. While I obviously never knew you while you were alive, I've come to know you very well through listening to your words.
You were of a different breed. You were never afraid to tell the truth, you never gave up, you never let anyone hold you back, and you never gave in to censorship. It takes guts to do what you did—to be such an advocate for truth, for change, for life. You showed us, at least those of us who were wise enough to listen to you, the flaw in our lives. You showed us the side of humanity that we would prefer to hide away—to sweep under the rug—and we'll be forever grateful for that.
You questioned religion, government, authority, the media; hell, you even questioned yourself. That's bold. That's inspirational. Your words have had great influence on me—by my choice, not because you're some infidel like some people would want me to believe. Listening to your comedy, your music, and reading your work has led to my political and religious ideologies, my passion for writing and literature, and my passion for truth. Because of you I know it's okay to take the path less traveled, and that's exactly what I'm trying to do.
You died too young from cancer. That's no way for a hero like you to go. I wish you were still alive today so I could meet you, talk to you, know you.
You were relentless in your pursuit for something more in life. I'm not sure what you were looking for, but I hope you've found it wherever you went after death. But maybe you're not dead, maybe you just finally woke up (if only this were true).
There is no such thing as death; life is only a dream, and we are the imagination of ourselves.
Wherever you woke up, I hope it's a hell of a lot better than earth. You deserve it.