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Karen Sutherland's avatar

I just reposted without a note. My

Mistake! There is a wonderful story hidden within the musing, and the prompts aren’t bad either 🙃

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Rebecca Wilson's avatar

With such a busy mind (don’t we all) I find daydreaming is my meditation, therapy, compass in life. I love learning new phrases/words especially when so relatable. Thank you DM

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David Marlow's avatar

You are most welcome, Rebecca. Happy dreaming!

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Bruce Atle Karlsen's avatar

once again, and possibly the best so far of your many excellent posts, this made me think, cement and solidify the path I am on - exploring, walking among the clouds, does not feel as strange and outside the box anymore, rather something that is part of my purpose. the word is excellent too :-)

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David Marlow's avatar

I'm delighted to hear this, Bruce. All the best in your cloud walking!

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Teyani Whitman's avatar

I think that I would greatly love to hear the story of ordering a fighter jet. 🤗

And, as a person who has spent most of her life coloring outside the lines, 100% adore this new to me word. Walking among the clouds is a sweet aspiration.

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David Marlow's avatar

I'll have to think about how to tell it in this format. Recalling those things reminds me of the risk-taker I was even as a young man. Good memories.

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Scott Boddie's avatar

This may be your greatest post ever, my fellow Cloud Walker.

Not me, David. From an early age I was exposed to poetry related to the firmament, which was the only "firm" we ever knew. Jonathan Livingston Seagull, "slipping the surly bonds of Earth and dancing the skies on laughter-silvered wings", and other works that my dad kept in front of me always had me thinking upward and outward to things we could not fully know but hoped to understand better.

"Following the default path, we risk confining ourselves to the rigid boundaries of the ordinary."

There's a principle in neuroscience called the "default mode network". The path most frequently and easily traveled. It is hard to break out of that rut.

There is a positive aspect of it in habits and routines, but I often draw a contrast with the baseline almost all of us inherit upon birth. It is up to us that to protect that margin of neurological protection to maintain resilience, but not at the sacrifice of opportunity. "You may say I'm a dreamer" - - "the greater risk is in not dreaming at all. Without allowing our hearts to wander and dream, we remain trapped within the mundane routines of daily life, disconnected."

👏 👏 👏

"Embracing the essence of the unconventional harmonizes practicality and imagination."

So I ask - what would happen if we form a practice around what we imagine? Would this discipline become conventional for us? Would it model something that others would be able to sustain as well?

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David Marlow's avatar

As you likely know, I dig those final questions. Powerful reflection. Thanks for the reminder of Johnathan Livingston Seagull. haven't thought about that story in ages.

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Jackson Houser's avatar

The story of the Phantom order sounds like it could be an instructive adjunct to an invitation to stroll among the clouds. I hope we see that apparition soon.

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David Marlow's avatar

An F-4 Phantom is certainly one way to walk among the clouds. Hadn't thought about it that way Jackson.

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Paul McCutchen's avatar

I mentioned this the other day but one of my side hustles was working on heating and cooling systems for people. I was walking through the house, and I noticed that in his small office was a desktop computer and a 52-inch screen. I got me a big desk and added a 43 in screen to a desktop computer and I haven't looked back. The only problem is I also installed a 55-inch tv above the monitor,

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David Marlow's avatar

You remind me I need to do that. I'm thinking of getting a MAc without a monitor and buying a big one to attach. Could have used all that space when editing my book.

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Cyn's avatar

“For an idea that does not first seem insane, there is no hope.” ~ Albert Einstein

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David Marlow's avatar

So true. Excellent addition to the thinking here Cyn!

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