Predictability

Louise Smith and I were chatting the other day about the desire for predictability, which obviates curiosity/fascination. What a cost that is!

I've been chewing on that one ever since we un-skyped. Yes, I want predictable, stable income; and yet I ride the ups and downs of income as a self-employed person – for 32 years. Predictable relationships – boring; predictable sex – even more boring; predictable, endless days – existential death. Accountable, yes. Predictable, no.

Fortunately, since predictability is strictly a requirement of the reactive mind, with no relationship to Real Reality (except for the predictability of change), I have nothing about which to fester. Whew!

It also holds true for organizations, striving for predictability – impeccability, yes; predictability, no. Imagine all the open doors they are ignoring, invitations from Life, while they focus on controlling the uncontrollable. And yes, I see this totally applies to me, individually, as well.

A few nights ago, I was holding Chase (14 months old) up by the light switch. He kept flipping the toggle up,  then down, then up, then down – over and over. I watched his face. He was fascinated by the novelty, seemingly unconvinced that the same thing would occur every time. He's still intrigued by what might happen. And he's more in touch with Real Reality than I am, because sometimes, something different transpires – the light bulb just doesn't go on. Just because it's happened 100 times before, doesn't mean it will happen 101 times. Or just because it's never happened, doesn't mean it never will.

I want that state of mind back. I want to be fascinated by possibility – grounded, not blocked or jaded, by my previous experiences.