Have you ever had that internal conversation that goes something like this:
“Michael, why did you do that or – Michael why didn’t you anticipate that?”
I have a question. Who is in there with us? Who do we speak to in our Mind? I decided to think about it.
I imagine my Mind as an infinite dark place. Three low ground fires sit in a triangular space. Between the fires three torch lights illuminate the darkness from pike poles, casting shadows but ample light. In the center is a round table and six heavy chairs. A comfortable place for thinking without distraction. A place for honest discussions.
I next began to imagine who sits at the round table of my Mind. Who make up the parts of Me?
The Warrior/Protector:
I was raised to be this, the oldest Son. More than once my life has been threatened and I’ve had to fight for it. I’m hard to kill.
It is better to be a Warrior in a garden than a Gardner in a war.
The Warrior sees things only in Black and White – He seeks Respect and Honor.
The Romantic:
The Romantic is where my Hope, Dreams and Passion reside. He is awash with the color of Women and loves them all, or tries to. The writer of love letters, the artist. He is the one that types the words you read.
The Romantic can only sees the Best in everything and everybody – Always hopeful but easily wounded.
The Male Animal:
Part of me is a strong male animal chained to the ground. When unchained women love him and men fear him. I believe this is the rarest part of Me and my most celebrated. I know that someday he will be the first to die, curled in the corner, still. But today, on this day, I rejoice…
Animal doesn’t communicate in words, he is scent driven and cannot be reasoned with. He doesn’t obey orders.
The Child:
This is where my enthusiasm springs from, the child within me. Unashamed, inquisitive, open. When I lay on the ground and stare at clouds the child prodded me to do so. Some have said I seem so alive – they witnessed the child at play. He is the Flyer of kites.
The child thinks like a child.
The Dark Ones:
The ones I still search for and don’t know where to look.
The Thinker/Realist:
Everything is measured the same way by the Thinker. From Gods to used cars it all goes through a scientific way of thinking. Testable, repeatable, demonstrable and observable are always requirements. He has full veto power over whatever shit the others collectively come up with. Sometimes the Romantic will call on Animal and the Protector for support at the table but the Thinker always has override authority.
The Thinker sees things in bright light, real and exposed – often harsh – painful.
A Meeting of the Mind:
They gather again at the table of decisions. The Universe has placed another fork in the road for our consideration.
The Thinker speaks first…
© 2016, Michael Fulcher. All rights reserved.
