A suspenseful mystery novel entered into my dreams last light. At least that’s what it felt like. I woke up slightly annoyed by the constant plot twists and unknowable circumstances of each situation. What, I wonder, was my displeasure with the mysterious aspects of my dream?

In life, knowing the answer is more appealing than not knowing. It’s why horoscopes are read religiously and may be the reason many religions exist. We are all, in some way or another, searching for an answer. And if the response we received when seeking guidance was “Hey, we thought you could figure this one out on your own”, we may feel lost.

A good mystery novel or movie always leaves its clues, forcing us to use our imagination and focus our attention. Excitement and satisfaction are the rewards for following it through to the end.

Maybe the mysterious aspects of our lives require a similar use of our imagination and attention. Reminding us that sometimes, life can be most enjoyable when it is a mystery.

When life really challenges me, I read my letters. They are two letters that I wrote years ago. One is from a very young me, and the other is from a much older version of myself.

It helps me cultivate a deeper level of compassion and reminds me of how far I’ve come and how much more road I have to travel.

The other day I did something new, I wrote a letter for someone I love. And while the person may never read it, there is some indescribable way that the heart expands to capture the intention of our thoughts and words.

The practice of writing letters in this way generates healing, compassion and love, which is sometimes the bare minimum that life will require from us.

I tell myself there is no right or wrong, it’s all just my perception. But, I realize that may be wrong so then I hesitate to share that thought because I’d rather be right.

Right and wrong is a complex game. The winning side has been selected before the players have announced themselves, and the losers are prized with some inadequate gesture or asked to sit out the next round.

For all we know, right and wrong was gifted to the human race as a device to be used sparingly. A guide to help us make clear decisions in the face of extreme circumstances.

Maybe we lost the instructions and depended on someone who convinced us they were right about the rules. But after years of playing the game with no clear winner, right and wrong morphed into a battle of opposing sides.

Who’s to say? It could all be right or it could all be wrong.

It’s much easier to be content and at peace when everything is going our way. But, who are we when we don’t get our way? That’s an intriguing question.

Self-improvement can turn into intentional self-avoidance when we try to manipulate the game for a single outcome. The game will fall in our favor and sometimes it won’t.

Deep attachment to one aspect of our lives, and deep denial of an opposing aspect, creates two ways of being that will always be in conflict.

Who we are when we’re getting our way is idealistic. Who we are when we don’t get our way may reveal an opportunity for growth.

The way in life is to make the most of our opportunities.

Rehearsal is where we read the script, embody the character and memorize our lines.

Some of us criticize the script, forgetting we wrote it.

We may think our character is not significant enough, overlooking the fact that we were given the lead role.

And every time we don’t deliver our lines, we dismiss the other characters in the scene.

In order to play big, we must first show up for rehearsal.

Matter is the “stuff” around you. It’s everything.

Particles are a minute portion of matter (ex. Tiny particles of dust).

A photon is a particle representing a quantum of light or other electromagnetic radiation.

In 1909, then again in 1998, scientists conducted the double-slit experiment to observe the stuff that everything is made of.

What every person should know:

– Scientist shot photons at a barrier with two openings (slits).

– The photons changed from a particle that could pass through one opening at a time, to a waveform that could pass through multiple openings (double-slits).

Question: Scientist wondered, how did the particles know there was more than one opening in the barrier?

Answer: The particles didn’t “know” there were multiple openings, but the observers of the experiment did.

This lead to the groundbreaking conclusion that the scientist, through their observation and knowledge of the multiple openings, had a direct impact on how the particles acted.

What does this mean: 

– Matter is the stuff around you. It’s everything.

– Our observations, thoughts, and knowing can change matter.

You have the power, through your observations and beliefs, to give the stuff around you a whole new meaning.

Potential projects a reality onto something that does not fully exist. It lives inside an infinite loop of possibilities, where success can not be defined and promises are not guaranteed.

Recognizing potential can be productive. Buying and selling potential can be dangerous. One encourages growth based on who we are today. The other places bets who we could become tomorrow.

Potential says, “I see you.” Potential with an agenda says, “I see you, but only in relationship to how it might benefit me.” Recognizing the difference between the two is a potentially smart thing to do.

Evolution is a natural process of growth and expansion. Revolutions seek growth for the things that have been unnaturally detained.

Evolution does not wait for permission to advance. A revolution gets tired of asking for permission.

Life is an evolutionary process. Freedom in life sometimes requires a revolutionary process.

They are an easy target.

They have no name.

Instead of looking at ourselves, they are to blame.

They always does.

They will never do.

They is me.

They, may be you.

I was in a zone while painting the picture; completely unaware of the classroom full of students. The instructor broke my spell by commenting “That is an amazing drawing.” Immediately, the painting started to deteriorate. My amazing painting, was now, just a mesh of colors on a sheet of paper.

This dream greeted me this morning. Waking me up with promises to expose a common pattern of unintended, but self-destructive behavior. Me, with the potential to do something remarkable, deciding to retreat back to average when others recognize the same potential within me.

Average is relative and nothing is wrong with occupying space there. But, a retreat back to average is an active withdrawal from life. It’s an agreement to let good fruit rot while the masses are starving. Taking more comfort in being with the starving population, instead of recognizing that you possess the antidote for their hunger.

Nobody may want to be average, but who is willing to be remarkable?