I know you are dead in the flesh, Hermann. I just feel such love for you, I went out in cyberspace, looking around for you, for pictures, homepages, whatever.

Dead or not, I'm writing directly to you now. It's not your brilliance, it's your courage. Danke vielmals. You will live forever. You live inside me, and many, many others. And will, as long your books are there. Or, actually as long as there's internet. And if even that fails, we'll put your work in a space-capsule. A true documentation of being human. Vielleicht vollen unsere Seelen eines tages, hinter Raum und Zeit, vereinigen.

How do you know that Hesse is dead?
He was fromt the East in thought and mind (although German) and clearly spoke of the eternal spirit, or soul, in Siddartha and his other books. More than likely, in my opinion, he's probably back working out his own evolution. Our Souls fly hither. But fall back like vapors--and then dense rain to form in small puddles (called families), and I'm sure he is back again pursuing this very personal quest, trying to open the magic door into the inner worlds or the superphysical worlds, as some metaphysicians might say.

The only reason--I think--that you relate so strongly to Hesse is that he holds up a relatively clear mirror,
and you see, not a caricature, but your own beautifully complex psyche composed, in truth, of hundreds of different lives and beyond that, the Atman, the transcendental self.
How many people truly appreciate that in you or in themselves?

Very few.

That's why the Soul is a much abused word, as much as the word Love. Although Hesse goes beyond the cliches and breathes life into both those words--again.

I'm sure, if we truly are omnipresent, that Hesse's Soul,
whether it is here on earth or in the Heavens basking in eternal light, has heard your words of affection that seemingly only were sent in cyberspace ...

Take care!

Kevin

Very well said! Bless you for taking the time to say it.