Sandman Reflections (Part 3b): How Can I Love Life More Like Hob Gadling?

So do you still wish to live?

Are you crazy? Death is a mug's game. I got so much to live for.

Conversation between Hob Gadling and Dream of the Endless

This is the continuation of the third in a series of posts where I will be exploring some of the themes of Sandman. I am focusing on the Netflix series since I read the comics long enough ago I would not be able to tell the differences lol.

While I am more focused on ideas/themes there will be references that might be considered spoilers. So if you have not seen the show yet watch it on Netflix (Please watch so we have a better chance of getting a season 2)

Loving Life Like Hob Gadling

By Dreaming Ace

I want to love life like Hob Gadling

I want to love life and feel like death is a mug game

No matter if I am riding high or am in the middle of true suffering

I want to love life like Hob Gadling

Sometimes life can feel like nothing

Sometimes life can feel like something we just have to get through

While waiting to head off to the Sunless Lands with Dream's sister

Sometimes life can feel like simply a function 

Hob Gadling knows how to love life no matter what happens

Hob Gadling knows how to love life even as an immortal

I want to be able to love life like Hob Gadling

I want to love life like Hob Gadling

Love Life Like Hob Gadling

There is just something about Hob Gadling and his love of life that makes me feel somehow. I find sometimes I struggle to love life. I forget why life is considered such a good thing. 

Sometimes life can feel like simply a long game of waiting, waiting for something else, waiting for the next part of the journey, waiting for the credits to roll.

But Hob Gadling loves life differently, more deeply than I tend to as shown by some of the conversations he had with Dream over the centuries. 

__________ 

In 1489

Then why aren't I dead long since? Is this some kind of game?

No game.

Why? Who are you? Why are you here?

I'm here because I'm interested.

In me?

In your experience.

What do I have to do?

Nothing. You live your life as you choose. Then on this day, every 100 years, we will meet. 

Because you wanna know what it's like. All right. I'll tell you what it's like. ( sighs ) It's fսck¡ng brilliant. It's all changing.

In 1589

It's funny. This is what I always dreamed Heaven would be like, way back. It's safe to walk the streets. Enough food. Good wine. Life is so rich.

In 1689

Do you know how hungry a man can get? If he doesn't die but he doesn't eat? I lost it all. My land. My gold. My Eleanor. She died in childbirth. The baby too. My boy, Robyn, died in a tavern brawl when he was 20. I didn't go out much after that. ( sniffles ) They tried to drown me as a witch. I'd lived there 40 years, overconfident. I got out with my skin a little more. And then it got worse. And worse and... worse. I've hated every second of the last 80 years, every bloody second. You know that?

So do you still wish to live?

Are you crazy? Death is a mug's game. I got so much to live for.

In 1889

That might be the only thing I've learned after 500 years. People are almost always better than you think they are. Not me, though. Still the same as ever. 

I think perhaps you've changed. 

( breathes deeply ) Well, I may have learnt a bit from my mistakes. But, uh... doesn't seem to stop me from making them. I think it's you that's changed. 

How so? 

I think I know why we still meet here, century after century. It's not because you want to see whether or not I'm ready to seek death. I don't think I'll ever seek death. By now, you know that about me. So, I think you're here for something else. 

And what might that be? 

Friendship. I think you're lonely. 

You dare... 

'No, look, I'm not saying-- 

You... dare suggest one such as I might need your companionship. 

Yes. Yes, I do. 

Then I shall take my leave of you and prove you wrong. 

I'll tell you what, I'll be here in 100 years' time. If you're here then too, it'll be because we're friends. No other reason, right?

In Present Day

You're late.

 
( chuckles ) It seems I owe you an apology.

 
I've always heard it impolite to keep one's friends waiting

__________

And while meeting in a bar every 100 years is not going to work for me I would love to sit down with Hob Gadling to be reminded of all the wonders of living. Because all too often like I shared in part 3a of this series of posts I find myself playing the role of Dream of the Endless:

I'm now more powerful than I have been in eons. And yet ...

Here you are, feeding the pigeons

All to often I find myself in need of companionship no matter if I can admit that or not. All to often I find that I am living like Dream of the Endless. And instead I have to live more like Hob Gadling*.

*Who happens to be played by Ferdinand Kingsley who happens to be the son of Sir Ben Kingsley which means Hob Gadling is Gandhi's son LOL