Life, actually…

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THINGS I THUNK UP ALL BY MYSELF

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Tossing about in my sleep last night, I suddenly came up with a solution to all the world’s problems.

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I can’t count the times that dreamy, fitful sleep has brought me Aha! thoughts. I’ve solved many of life’s puzzles during those overnight tussles.

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The only problem is, by the time sunlight and morning tasks awaken and stir me into action, I forget all profound inspirations. Poof! They slip away into Neverland.

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Dang!

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Missed it by that much.

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I finally faced this pesky problem—at least in part.

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I collect all these meandering mullings for safekeeping. Whenever I am alert enough, I quickly inscribe both daytime and nighttime ideas so they won’t escape. Hundreds of scrawlings are archived on napkins, sticky notes, backs of receipts, palms of hands. Inspirations are dictated bit by bit on a pocket recorder. I even phone myself and leave dangling ideas on voice mail for later transfer. I’ve been known to turn over in my sleep and, in the dark, write down an idea of two without even opening my eyes.

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Yes, you have the option of calling this crazy or obsessive behavior. I call it being a writer who believes that every word is special. I call it cherishing life piece by piece before it fades.

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When those stacks of scribblings get out of hand, I turn them into stories or books.

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Here are samples of original thoughts that came up, thoughts that have no place to go…unless they inspire you to begin salvaging your own musings for posterity.

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SOME THINGS I THUNK:

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My hairline has been voted most likely to recede.

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You get to a point in life where you can’t help but look old.

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Suppose your dreams could socialize with my dreams. Suppose your imaginary friends met my imaginary friends. Suppose your shadow could dance with my shadow. Just suppose.

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There is always enough money to wage war.

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Flatulence is the great leveler.

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How quickly we dismiss the idea that a carrot might have a soul.

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Droning on and on, she found herself at a loss for silence.

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Sometimes, the sky really is falling.

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Tell someone you love them today—even if it’s true.

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Miss Muffet used to ride in the whey back of the milk truck.

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OK, enough is enough. I’ll stop here. The idea is, take note of what springs from your mind. Don’t think about it for a while. A month later, look at those collected thoughts. You’ll find ideas that are sad, mad, glad, bad, goofy, profound…

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But you won’t realize their importance till you put distance and time between them.

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Go ahead—appreciate what is stirring about in your imagination. Some of it may even be worth sharing.

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Unleash those goofy wisdoms you harbor

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© Jim Reed 2023 A.D.

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—Some quotes appear in Jim’s book “What I Said…Small Wisdoms Hidden Comforts Unexpected Joys”  (Blue Rooster Press, 2023)

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