I think of ideas as a flow similiar to a beautiful mountain stream. It is very difficult to describe the stream itself. We can describe what it flows over, around and through, in other words the terrain but the stream itself is there one minute and gone the next. The same is true for the flow of ideas in our lives.

Each idea is part of the flow of all ideas just like each drop of water is part of the flow of the stream. Just like I can take a drink from the stream or separate a cup of water from the flow so can I take one idea from the conscious stream and act upon it.

The wonder of this “stream of consciousness” is that there are many people around me to help me and everyone seems willing, even interested to dialogue and participate and this is what makes life so interesting for me. I love talking to friends, colleagues, nieghbours and even strangers. I love to learn what people are thinking and feeling. As they share with me I inevitably learn more about myself as well as them. Learning about myself is the benefit from exchanging ideas with others and there is another benefit too. When I connect with others then I realize that I am a piece of the whole, a part of the main fabric of this thing called life.

My life and the issues I encounter have been understood and dealt with by millions of people before me. I may be experiencing any particular issue at this point in time but it is never in isolation. It does not matter if my experience is positive or negative. Always there are many others in and around my life who have insight and wisdom to offer. I listen for it. As I listen so do I learn. As I learn so do I develop my ability to share in the future with others. There is no such thing as individual gain, there is only the collective conscience of all of us and that is both a comfort and sometimes a challenge.

I am comforted by the fact that others are here to support me and may understand me but I am challenged that sometimes I feel outside this collective and wonder if there is a way or sometimes even a desire to rejoin it. Today I do not have an answer to reveal for I seek your insight.  I only have one question and so I pose it to all of you because certainly your answers will inform mine and I am grateful to hear them. What is it you are doing today to live a life you love?