At 50 years old, I understand that there are higher things than my ego’s will and to those I must bow. I prefer what is living to what is dead. It is true what The Pixies sang: If Man is five, then the Devil is six—and if the Devil is six, then God is seven.

I live a simple life on Ibiza. I work on a farm. At home, I  am with my friends: Ivan Illich, Sergio Quinzio, Jacques Ellul, Simone Weil, C. G. Jung, Mircea Eliade, Northrop Frye, F. Chopin, J. S. Bach, M. Heidegger, Stanisław Lem, and several others. And the One from Nazareth. I focus on private study.

I do this peculiar meditation where I wonder whether my next breath might be the last. Do you know the story of the old Rabbi to whom his wife said, I have to wash your socks? He took off his shoe and gave her one sock. She said, can’t you give me the second one? He said, no, I never get out of both shoes at the same time. I want to be ready when the Messiah comes.