I Am Not My Thoughts

I am not my thoughts…

My first reaction was to reject that idea.?

But then I wondered: Is that just another thought, here to protect itself?

When I believe I am my thoughts, I ruminate about the past and worry about the future. It’s like riding a toy train, looping in circles, again and again, without control over where I go.?

So I loosen my grip, and hold lightly the idea that I am not my thoughts.?

And for a moment…

I realize that I’m riding this train, and can gently hop off.? As I stand near the tracks, I watch train after train come into existence and fade into the horizon. I see how the trains are always coming and going.

And for a moment…

It’s like seeing the strings that connect the puppeteer to their puppet. Those delicate strings were just an illusion, and the puppet breaks free, with choice how to be.?

And for a moment…

It’s like listening to my favorite song, and realizing that I am the musician, able to choose which chord to play next, which vibe to express.?

In these moments…

There is a brief flicker, where choice and possibility present themselves, like a gift that’s been here the whole time, waiting to be opened.?

When I open that gift, I remember that I am the observer of, not the subject of, my thoughts.?

And then I forget, and begin again.?

-Alex Wallash

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Thanks for taking the time to read! What do you think? I invite you to comment below or send me a note.?

Photo: Chris F