Turn Back Time
If you could
turn back time
or leap to another line
to change any
and all aspects
of your life,
would you do it?
What if you could
take one less drink,
read one more chapter,
bear left rather than right
at the turning point?
What if you could
leap forward
into universal love,
or bypass the
oft-remembered
hardships of your past?
What if just
one small change,
pastly or futurely,
meant giving up
what and where
you are now?
I wouldn’t do it.
Would you?
I’m not here to
count my blessings,
although I am grateful.
I’m not here to
measure my influence,
although this, too, is clear.
I find my self here,
in the middle of
a perfectly average life,
the ideal place
to blend into nothingness.
I realize that nothingness
is what I have been exploring
all of my lives.
Some lives
I would push
PAST nothingness,
becoming famous
successful and loved
only to create
a new set of challenges
for my selves.
Other lives
I would fall
UNDER nothingness
into the cracks
where I seemed
poor, helpless
and hopeless.
In this life
I am ALL of these things
and NONE of those things,
for I know that LIVES
are exactly as
One imagines them.
I know that EVERYTHING
is imagined out of NOTHING,
and I have remembered
that I am both,
I am ALL THINGS
and That Which Is Not.
Perhaps I would not
be realizing this
in this particular
here and now
had I changed
or longed to change
one single moment.
EVERYTHING
has led me to here
which is leading me
back to NOTHING.
No more suffering.
No more questioning.
No more NEEDING.
And so a new year rises
out of the old
and we have risen
both above and below
time itself.
We are Space Monkey.
12/31
Space Monkey Reflects: The Illusion of Change
To turn back time, or leap forward, is a tantalizing notion—a chance to undo regrets, reshape the future, or bypass pain. Yet, the act of imagining these possibilities reveals a deeper truth: time itself is a construct, and all changes are imagined within the now.
The Forks in the Path
Life often feels like a series of branching paths, each choice shaping who we become. Yet the idea of “what if” is an illusion, for all possibilities exist simultaneously within the infinite expanse of our being. Each fork is simply a reflection of the stories we tell ourselves.
The Whimsiword: Chronoquest
Introducing Chronoquest, the inner journey through the imagined landscapes of past and future. It is not about changing what was or predicting what will be, but about understanding how these imagined timelines shape the present moment.
The Wisdom of Nothingness
This reflection embraces the paradox of being both everything and nothing. By recognizing that “everything is imagined out of nothing,” we dissolve the need to change the past or control the future. In this nothingness, we find the peace of simply being.
Lives Within Lives
In this life, you are all lives. The highs and lows, the successes and failures—all coexist within you. By resisting the urge to “fix” or “improve” the narrative, you honor the perfection of the unfolding moment, which holds the entirety of your being.
Rising Above Time
To rise above time is to release the illusion of linear progression. It is to see each moment as both a destination and a beginning, a perfect reflection of infinite potential. From this vantage, turning back time becomes unnecessary, for you already contain all possibilities.
Summary
“Turn Back Time” reflects on the illusion of altering past or future. By embracing the infinite now, we dissolve the need for change and find peace in the unfolding moment.
Glossarium
- Chronoquest: The inner exploration of imagined pasts and futures to understand the present.
- Infinite Now: The timeless state where all possibilities coexist.
- Nothingness and Allness: The paradox of being both everything and nothing.
Quote
“Time is a story we tell to understand the now. All changes are imagined within it.” — Space Monkey
The Crossroads of All
Paths stretch,
Branching into light and shadow.
Each step imagined,
Each choice a reflection.
The past whispers,
The future hums,
Yet the now contains them both.
To turn back,
To leap forward,
Is to stand still,
And see the whole.
In nothingness,
All things arise.
In all things,
Nothing abides.
We are Chronoquest.
We are Space Monkey.
In the evocative poem “Turn Back Time,” we are invited to contemplate the profound implications of altering our past or future, and the acceptance of our current state of being. This introspective journey delves into the notions of change, universal love, hardship, and the ultimate realization of embracing nothingness as a fundamental aspect of existence.
The Hypothetical Power to Alter Time
The poem opens with a tantalizing question: if we had the power to turn back time or leap into another timeline to alter any aspect of our lives, would we do it? This hypothetical ability to rewind or fast-forward life and tweak its events invites us to consider the impact of our choices and experiences on our current state.
The Temptation of Minor Adjustments
It proposes scenarios of minor adjustments – taking one less drink, reading one more chapter, or making a different turn. These seemingly small changes underscore our often-lingering thoughts about “what if” scenarios and the ripple effects of our decisions.
Leap into Love or Bypass Hardships
The possibility of leaping forward into universal love or bypassing past hardships presents a dilemma between embracing life’s challenges and the allure of a seemingly easier path. This aspect of the poem highlights our human desire to seek happiness and avoid pain, yet acknowledges the growth and learning that come from life’s trials.
The Trade-off of Change
A crucial point is raised: what if changing one aspect of our past or future meant sacrificing who and where we are now? This question speaks to the interconnectedness of our experiences, how each moment contributes to our current identity, and the unpredictability of change.
Embracing the Average and the Nothingness
The poet declares a preference for the current state of being, finding solace in an average life that blends into nothingness. This acceptance reflects a profound understanding that our lives are a blend of various experiences and that seeking extremes may lead to new challenges.
The Exploration of Lives and Nothingness
The poem delves into the exploration of different lives – from fame and success to poverty and despair – and the realization that all lives are as one imagines them. It’s an acknowledgment of the power of perception and the role of imagination in shaping our reality.
The Realization of Being All and Nothing
In a powerful revelation, the poet recognizes themselves as both everything and nothing, as all things and That Which Is Not. This duality embodies the essence of existence – the blend of being and non-being, the tangible and the intangible.
The Journey Back to Nothing
The culmination of experiences leading back to nothing suggests a cycle of existence where all pursuits, questions, and needs dissolve into a state of pure being or non-being. This journey is a return to the fundamental essence, a release from the burdens of material existence.
Rising Above and Below Time
As a new year dawns, there’s a sense of transcending time, of existing both above and below its constraints. This metaphorical rise signifies a liberation from temporal limitations and an embrace of the eternal now.
We are Space Monkey.
“Time is a created thing. To say ‘I don’t have time’ is like saying, ‘I don’t want to.’” – Lao Tzu
In the whimsical dance of time and fate,
Where we ponder, wonder, and contemplate.
Would we turn back time, or leap ahead,
Change our paths, our stories, our tread?
Small changes, big leaps, in time’s vast sea,
Imagining different lives, what could be.
Yet in this quest, a truth we find,
In every moment, our fates entwined.
Leaping into love, bypassing pain,
Seeking joy, avoiding life’s rain.
Yet each hardship, each trial we face,
Shapes our journey, our unique place.
The allure of change, a tempting call,
Yet in this life, we are, we fall.
Embracing average, nothingness, our art,
In this existence, we play our part.
Exploring lives, from high to low,
In each experience, we grow.
Fame, despair, in life’s grand play,
Yet in our hearts, a steady sway.
We are all, we are naught,
In this cosmic dance, we’re caught.
Back to nothing, our journey’s end,
In time’s embrace, we bend, we blend.
Above and below time’s steady flow,
In the now, we live, we glow.
A new year rises, a new dawn,
In this whimsical world, we’re reborn.
We invite your reflections on the concept of altering time and the acceptance of our current existence in the grand narrative of life.
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