It is not what you may be thinking. But it may be something to really think about. It may very well be another shift in your perspective about life itself and its perhaps ultimate certainty. I say “perhaps,” because some things are simply unknowable; at least for now. Hopefully, sharing my perspective will trigger your own curiosity. It is what has raised questions in my mind; questions to be asked, and answers to be sought.
Now, since we are all together, in this thing called life, I believe we should seek out each other and mindfully connect. It is important that we come together to have a meeting of the minds, whether in the real world or in cyberspace. Whenever possible, I will always prefer to meet in the warmth of human presence where and when we can engage our natural sensibilities. Sitting together, thinking together, and making a heartful effort to search for answers would give us a clearer sense of life—answers that may validate and/or shift our perspectives and beliefs for the better.
Unlike someone being stripped of their freedoms and placed on death row, the rest of us are also inevitably sentenced to death, whether by natural causes or otherwise. This perspective may sound dark to some of you. But I hope what it does is raise your curiosity instead. The obvious difference between those who are stripped of their freedom and the rest of us is that we get to keep ours. We have the freedom to live the life we want to live, where, when, why, how, and to choose to be who we want to be. These things we are free to “be” and “do” irrespective of our differing beliefs and the choices we make.
Still, we are all in a “prison.” It is not the physical brick and mortar places where people like us sit, wait, and know they will soon experience what may be the most consequential life event. They know the date, time, process, and method. Everyone in the Row knows. I call this consequential only because my intelligence is limited to the knowledge within the realm of the collective mind to date. For all I know, there may be no consequence at all—something more beautiful than the collective mind could have ever imagined or something more dreadful than any human has ever experienced.
Nevertheless, I choose to believe that what awaits us is something more beautiful than we can even contemplate. Even though there is already so much love, beauty and kindness inside this prison, albeit good enough for now, there must be more than what I see when I look out the window of my little bubble. Our thoughts and beliefs do not change the reality that this prison exists. Others, even you, may have seriously pondered its reality, and still others simply wonder if it is just an illusion. I have pondered the idea and have wondered the same. However, I do not dismiss the idea as “unknowable,” and give up the search for answers; not yet.
The challenge for me though, lies in reconciling what may be “unknowable,” with what now seems unimaginable. My limited mind frustrates me. So, where do I begin my search? Well, what you are reading here is my beginning. Well, maybe not. I delved into deep thought about this idea and made a similar call in the piece you just read: Is Time…? In it, I mention the “third mind” and here too, it is essential if answers are to be found, if at all. Of course, this is not to suggest we should abandon the search for answers because they may be unknown or unknowable, No. We should go as far as we can, for as long as we do our time.
When two people come together to work on an idea, three minds are present: yours, mine, and the fusion of ours. Don’t tell me we can’t get it done. Let’s do it! – William Garcia
Not to worry though, just as the baton of knowledge was relayed and passed on to us, so will we relay what we learn to those who are here after we have served. Of course, that is if there are any inmates (us) left, and that the prison still “exists.” So, here I am calling out to you and the collective mind to seek ways to connect, to share perspectives and fuse streams of thoughts: the “third mind” effect, if you will.
For now, what I do “know” is that I was born in “it” and will die (run out of life) in “it.” So will you.
Fish do not get water, and Man do not get air. Each is born in its own element. Just the same, Man nor Fish get Time; they’re born in it – William Garcia
There may be no way to avoid being born into “it” and evidently, no way to stay in “it.” I say this because my thinking is limited to the contents of the collective mind’s library. Of course, this is not to suggest I have read every book in it—of course not. That is the work of the collective and why meetings of the mind are the best course of action in order that we may find the answers we seek. Fortunately, or not, I still am, and I continue to think.
I digress. To me, it is the ultimate paradox: this “it” that I refer to as the Master Element; this “it” we “know” or “don’t” know as Time. This element is the prison within which we live and die (run out of life); the same prison within which each one of us lives out our life in our own separate bubble; our own cell, if you will. It is the prison that was here before us and, I suppose, will be here after us, so long as there is at least one life serving its sentence.
Each one of us live in our own individual bubble of Time; A bubble that, as time elapses, eventually bursts when we run out of Life – William Garcia
Then what? timelessness, or a transition into another type of prison; one that is inconceivable to the collective mind, while inside this one? One wherein the senses as we know them, may not be useful or even necessary. I repeat: One wherein the senses as we know them may not be useful or even necessary. I do not believe anyone knows. Do you?
Yet again, back to here and now, where most of us are not just sitting around and waiting. No. We are living the life we know; sensing, experiencing, and reacting to the scale of emotions intrinsic to humankind; from hate to love, from sadness to happiness; just living out the human condition and all its facets. My own experiences have moved me to believe that living is mostly an emotional experience and less so, an intellectual one. Necessarily though, the key to making sense of life so that we may live as best we can, is our minds. It is our steering mechanism. We “do” or not “do” what it tells us or “be” or not “be” one way or another.
It is important that our focus be on “being” aware that living is a “doing” proposition, fueled by emotions and steered by our thoughts – William Garcia
Most of us are OK, at least good enough for now. So, being as we are, much is not lost. Instead, much has been found and the search for more continues. It must. It would seem we have evolved well enough for the times we are living in. Still, we must continue to evolve, and “well enough” is always an easier place from which to forge the path forward. So, we must toe the line and continue to search as individuals, as three-minded teams, as a collective; to continue to mindfully evolve. Simply stumbling into the future cannot and must not, be an option.
It is the hope we hold on to, at least on the inside of this prison—the hope being, at least it is mine—that those of us ( who, fortunately are most of us) continue to behave with care, kindness, compassion, gratitude, and love, and that our behavior spreads like a contagious “ease” to those working through their own sense of “being”, living in this prison.
Doing anything positive for someone else, or for ourselves, makes a positive difference all around. It can be like spreading a contagious “ease”; a positive act that does not have to be anything spectacular. It could be simply to say, “I love you” or “I’m here for you if you need to talk.” It could be the offer to bring someone a drink of water, a chair to sit on, or a pillow to lie on – William Garcia
I hope for a time when the collective mind embraces a collective heart; that each one of us continues to live for and care for each other, if only for goodness’ sake. We must stop judging others when we are serving the same sentence in the same prison.
It is one thing to know that the Devil is out there somewhere. It is quite another, for him to knock on your front door and ask for you by name. Avoid the “knock.” Do no harm. Do not judge. Have empathy. Be kind – William Garcia
We should be mindful that there is no way to know when this prison was designed. As I mentioned before, we were born in “it”—prison babies, if you will. What we do “know” however, is that there is an exit, into what or where, who knows. As many have before us, we will be discharged when we have completed our sentence. Who we are, what we believe or how we chose to live does not grant us a Stay. So, it is a good thing that as we live-along we should do our best to get along.
PRISON RULES:
Rule #1-Do not judge.
Rule #2-Do no harm.
Rule. #3-Be kind.
Just imagine, always following at least these three simple rules: rules that are written down in every good book known to humankind. It would make serving time in our own little bubble, a more hopeful, beautiful, and loving journey. I think we are still in a good place because most people are basically decent and naturally abide by rules #2 and 3 regardless of their religious belief or affiliation.However, when it comes to rule #1, there are people who have a vested interest in division and control. So long as rule #1 is continuously broken or ignored, they win and most of us lose.
What’s the saying? Don’t throw stones if you live in a glass house or is it the other way around? Either way, the reality is that we all live in the same “jail house” and are sentenced to death. So, put down the stone of judgementalism.
“Come on Willie, that’s not going to happen, you’re dreaming,” you may be thinking. “But are you really thinking it won’t happen or that it cannot?” of course it can. All we need is more people abiding by rule #1. This is not a dream; it is a cry of the soul to wake up to the possibility that it really can happen. Many of the same people who judge others for faults they also possess, allow themselves to be coerced into having faith in “promise and punishment.” This is a dream and a nightmare in the same breath. Abiding by rules 1,2 and 3 in the “here” and “now” is real and, at the same time, a nightmare to those with a vested interest in division and control. Again: It is one thing to know that the Devil is out there somewhere. It is quite another, for him to knock on your front door and ask for you by name.
I digress. It is not going out with a bang as many scholars, philosophers and scientist believe is how we came to “be”—the inception of this prison, if you will. No. That we are “here” and now, it is about going out with what the great Bob Marley sang, “One Love, One Heart.” A collective Love, a collective Heart, steered by a collective Mind.
We are still free. We still think. There is still hope. There is a horizon ahead. But it is all the collective mind’s eye can see from “here.” Still, we must press on until the horizon is no more, until it becomes the next here and now, with us facing a new and more hopeful horizon. Meanwhile, and as we journey, let us pave the path going forward with all that we know as good and beautiful. Let us continue to live-along and get along embracing this as our collective sense of “being.” We will need to “be” this way as we evolve into the next here and now—maybe more so then, than we are now. It would show that we continue to evolve well.
We are in a good place going forward, but the journey would be made easier if we do not carry the senseless weight of the stones of judgmentalism. So, with hope, curiosity, and courage, let us go where the collective mind has never gone before.
Trust God, and as you do your best, believe in yourself, be patient, and trust your destiny – William Garcia.