Mind before Matter
There's something especially fascinating to me about the human mind. Give it a second to wander and suddenly you're miles away from the spot where you're standing.
I think we're all artists in one way or another. The creative parts of our mind jump into action and muse us to our medium. Some may prefer oil on canvas to create their art, others a '68 Camaro geared for potential. But I've found that all I need is a laptop and a flashing cursor awaiting a set of letters and punctuation.
The wander of my human mind today came in two simple words: "what if". The possibilities for an individual's life are truly endless. Some may not be as feasible as others, but the mind knows no barriers. "What if" allows it to transcend all roadblocks and glass ceilings. Tell me that's not just a little liberating! So welcome to my wander. Let's see what's hiding there today.
What if I was an astronaut? My days would be spent training on every simulation known to NASA, my nights pouring over data and mission plans. When the day of the launch came, I would step proudly from the transport vehicle as camera flashes captured my fleeting fame. I would wonder why neon orange became the official NASA jumpsuit color and pray for the day that they would adopt sleek Captain Kirk uniforms. Strapping into the command capsule, I would pictures all those before me and all those to come. Fear would certainly grip my gut as solid rocket boosters thrust my crew and I into space. Throw in a spacewalk and a few zero-gravity liquid meals and you have a dream come true.
What if I was a writer? I would live in a small, humbly-adorned apartment in New York City, decorated in a style that is evident of my sporadic income. My characters would be built by active observation. Afternoons in Central Park, evenings in Times Square, and my notebook would be chock-full of potential players in my stories. Random notes and thoughts would eventually gather into coherence. I would toss the final product onto the shelf and hope I had targeted a market that would ask me back for more.
What if I was a rancher? I would get up each morning at 4:30 am. The house would be filled soon enough with the aroma of hot coffee and smokey bacon. Only a few hours later, that smell would be replaced by morning grass and cow patties. Oh, what an odor. Moving them along with only a horse and dog as my allies, I would pick out one of the weakest one and nurse it back to health. And I would pick out one of the healthiest and imagine what a fine steak it would be.
What if I was a father? I would live for the sound of big laughter and tiny sneezes. My arms would be tired from piggybacks and rocket tosses, but I wouldn't care. I would be stern and disciplined, but open to the possibility of bribery. "Don't tell Mom" would be in my vocabulary but only used once every 5 years. I would be proud of the things my kids were experts at and more proud of the things that they weren't. Most importantly, I would cherish every moment, because it would only be a matter of time until kisses by dad weren't cool. But I would still give them anyway.
What if I was President? What if I was a bull rider? What if was a knight? What if I was a circus clown? What if I never realized just how many things I could do in life?
Minds are a powerful thing. Let creativity drive and there is no telling what will come next. Minds can be numbing, also; a convenient excuse to not act. It is all too easy to think these things. Pictures can be easier envisioned than brought to life. But the great artists that we know are not the ones who left a breathtaking statue or life-like painting bottled in their minds. They are the ones who found the tools needed to make imagination into reality.
"What if"s are only the first step.
