Voices from the Past

We humans are thinking creatures. We do not usually act reflexively, except in times of danger when our autonomic system takes over and we fight or flee.

Our thoughts, conscious or not, determine our actions. We are not often aware of the influence of our thoughts because the process is so automatic. If we do stop, however, we'll notice our thoughts; they seem to have a life of their own, as if we're haunted by voices. The voices filter, judge and determine what we attend to in the present, and they are helpful or harmful, depending on how connected they are to reality.

So it was with pleasant surprise that I heard some real voices from the past. The alumnae of my high school have reconnected, in anticipation of an upcoming reunion.

How wonderful it is to hear the voices of those who knew me when I was young. Eager to see each other, to exchange details about the multivarious trajectories of our lives, we are contacting each other from near and far.

And so we can listen to the voices of friends who celebrate our endurance and luck in getting this far in life's marathon, or to the inner voices that present life as a haunted house.

I for one never liked adventure parks. I prefer reality.