The Space Between

Have you ever looked up, almost woken up from a waking dream, and wondered how you got somewhere? Tried to trace the footsteps that led you to where you stand?

Our lives aren't as linear as we'd like to believe - at least we don't experience them that way. We have moments where we zone out, where aren't paying attention, just going through the motions, or just in full-fledged sleep mode. Our brains are not capable of taking in everything that our surroundings have to offer.

My father cites this phenomenon as his reason to stop drinking (alcohol is certainly a purveyor or "lost time"). When he was in college, he drank fairly heavily - not out of the ordinary for any collegiate, let alone one at UT Austin - but it wasn't the antics of a wild night that made him stop. It was when he woke up one morning, safe in his bed. The sun was creeping into the room in soft beams through the blinds, and my father opened his eyes without a hangover. Feeling more than fine, he got dressed, went outside, and saw his car parked in the driveway. Everything was as it should be.

But he didn't remember how he got there.

The fact that he couldn't remember driving home spooked him. Everything was fine, but the night could have had a far different outcome. To this day, he still can't link together the events between the party and waking up the next day. What could have happened on the drive home? Had anyone else been in the car with him? Had he endangered himself and others?

I think you'll find that there are many times in life that exist in the unconscious that aren't ruined by alcohol or other drugs. Our minds work primitively some times. We break down things into mindless routines in order to make them simpler. How many times have you woken up, showered, gotten dressed, etc. without even "thinking" about it? How many other things do you do the same way every time?

The two points I'm making with this illustration are that 1) we go through life unconsciously about some things that should be given great consideration. Our friendships. Our families. Perhaps even your relationship to God. We get so used to them, that we do them all without really thinking about them. We have no idea how we got where we are. Looking back, tracing the steps is one good way to be mindful of how and why we do what we do.

and B) doing things in a new way - like brushing your teeth with your left hand (right hand for lefties) - opens up new neuro-paths in your brain. Challenging yourself to do things differently makes you smarter.

Like waking up from a dream, we can wake up from being awake. Regain consciousness after zoning out. Look around and realize we've been half-heartedly living.

I'd be curious to know how you got where you are. What road you took. I think you'd be curious to find that out, too.