13:05.

Johnny Cash never was an artiste I seeked. Though he was one I admired. By the word "seeked", I simply mean I was not as acquainted with his music as I felt I should be. I often read about him, most notably in a U2 biography To The End Of The World.

He has gone home at the age of 73, about five months after his beloved wife and soulmate took the same journey. And as I - like millions others - read the articles, obituaries, tributes in cyberspace and newsprint, I'm solemn like those others. Not disturbed, because I believe He is now with Jesus (Heaven's an indefinitely better place).

I join his fans and friends in some moments of mourning.

Why? Simply because he was one of those examples whom I want to be like.

Jocelyn asked me why I like U2 so much.

I know why, though I articulate this poorly.

U2, Johnny Cash, these people represents to me people constantly running, running to stand still (to steal a line from U2). They are (were) Christians, and the passion for God evident, but they dared to bare their souls with a fury that I can't look away from. They fought (fight) demons, they swum in music, in the spirit of my beloved rock n roll.

They were (are) human, completely fallable but because they are (were) honest, they earned my respect. And they respected the art of music, made (make) amazingly great music and harnessed the rock n roll's power. Christians need not be cookie cuts of each other. Can faith exists in seemingly chaos and the devil's territory? Can faith lasts in fame?

Yes.

I like that brazen defiance. Why must the devil have all the good music? (To borrow a line from William Booth, salvation army's founder and I think, the Christian rock band Stryper who made the line into a whole song)

I like running on the edge of the ring of fire, getting burned but never having my spirit quenched.

But will I dare? (Anyhow, my ring of fire is different from that of rock n roll.)

They did.

And to that, I salute.

I will see Mr Cash in Heaven when I get there. Though mind you, my attention will be on Jesus.