Each consciousness is a personal universe. It’s the telling of a story that far exceeds the best movie or the most captivating novel, for each moment is filled with the complete richness of experience. It’s a story whose main character isn’t an imaginary construct, but is real flesh and blood, perfectly emersed in the trials and joys of their life. It’s a story of everything. It’s a story of you.
Yet why was such a story written, and by whom?
Let’s imaging this author for a moment. Before they put pen to paper – before they release the words that bring you into existence – first they must decide. Will this be a character driven story, or will this be a plot driven story?
This is the eternal writer’s dilemma. On the one hand, the writer knows how the story should progress. The temptation is difficult. If we don’t force our characters to perform the necessary actions, how will we get them to the twist before the surprise ending? Every good writer knows that logic leads to a story where the characters become boxed in by plot – where the writer sacrifices the characters’ essence to create the desired universe. It’s a utopia where all walk destiny’s path with dead eyes.
So, the writer chooses the harder path. They sacrifice their desired plot. They take a risk, and they let the story go where it may. Instead, they imagine their characters – as vivid and interesting as they can make them – with their struggles, and their faults, and all the back stories that define them. Then the writer steps back and watches. They become a transcriber, recording what happens as the characters create their own story. The story starts to take on a life of its own, going in unexpected directions that surprise and delight even the author. Such stories seem rich, pulling us in with characters that feel real and alive.
So, the cosmic author, being a wise author, ponders briefly … and then hands the pen to you.
How can that be? How can the character write the story, for they themselves have yet to be written?
Well, is that not what you are doing at this very moment – with every movement and breath – with every thought and choice you make?
It’s a strange dance between writer and character, because every character is drawn from the essence of the writer’s experience. Every character is the writer. How could it be any other way? To tell the story, the writer doesn’t ascertain character’s actions based on some decision rubric using character traits and backstory. The creative process is not scientific but experiential. The writer puts themself into the character’s shoes, and then decides what they’d do if they were that character. A person that truly loves writing forgets themself in the process, and they become emersed in their characters and their universe. The creative spirit that brings joy to the artistic process happens when the writer becomes the character.
So, when the cosmic author hands the pen to you, they are really handing the pen to themself.
It’s a strange duality, I know. I cannot prove it, but it feels right. Each of us is both the creator and the creation.
Does it not feel that way each moment of your life? Are you not telling your story with each action, with each choice?
Sure, there are unexpected twists and turns. How could there not be? There are close to eight billion other main characters running around at this very moment, each choosing their own story – and that’s only if you count the humans. Yet even when the unexpected arises – and I’ve yet to find a day when it does not – do we not choose how we perceive and react to it?
We are each the creator.
You can take that metaphorically if you’d like. Yes, we all have a hand in the outcomes and perceptions of our life. We are, in a sense, moment by moment creating our personal stories.
I prefer to take it literally.
There is an actual, divine creator who sprung this universe into being from their cosmic consciousness. And what was such a creator to do? Sit around bored and watch the clockwork play itself out? That’s just…boring. Why not instead create you, and create me, and all the rest of us, and in that moment of creation forget you’re the creator. Instead, go into the universe you’ve made – but go in with real stakes – with love, life, and hope, all on the line.
That sounds much more interesting to me.
Perhaps that’s why I created it that way.
I’m kidding though. It was you who created it.
I know. I know. It’s all too crazy to believe. We designed it that way, remember? Otherwise, we’d get smart to it, then the whole game would be up. It’s dreadfully boring to know you’re G-d in disguise. It takes all the stakes out of it.
So, for now, forget I said anything about you being the creator. Instead, flip back to that other duality, the one where there’s still a creator, but it isn’t you.
What can we say about that creator?
Well, it must be a benevolent creator, because it decided to give you freewill.
Admit it. The universe is more interesting that way.
For a moment, allow yourself to feel the magnitude of that idea – that the creator didn’t create your future, but only you. It was you that took the detailed work – that magical spark of consciousness somehow integrated with your body and brain. It took some serious tinkering to get that just right – to tuck the freewill beneath the seams of reality, never quite visible.
Anchor yourself to that idea. The divine creator is not just popping in occasionally to see what you’re up to. Why would the creator go to such trouble to create freewill if they didn’t intend to be right there with you the whole time, watching what you might do with amazed fascination? And why would the creator only watch? Why wouldn’t they experience the story with you – or even as you? Afterall, isn’t that the best way to read a good story – to let yourself be fully absorbed in the characters?
Pause for a moment and allow yourself to feel that divine presence within you – that inner awareness watching – experiencing … you. That’s how interesting you are. That’s how amazing.
Try to feel it as you move through life – that divine, aware presence within yourself. Know that each moment you are defining your story to the creator, and that whatever you do, however bad you mess up or let things go astray, it’s still an amazing story. Afterall, you’re still here, aren’t you? No one’s changed the channel yet.
It’s like mediation. At first the experience may only last a few seconds, then life will jump in and seize you, and you’ll forget. Maybe a day or two later you’ll remember again and stop to feel that presence within – still there, still aware and with you. Then, life takes hold again.
There’s no rush. There’s no frustration in forgetting. Sometimes it’s more interesting to forget, after all.
Just know it’s there, present and loving your story.
It’s always there.
Because it’s you.