Each morning, I awake with the thought, “How wonderful all this is.” And then, “Where did life come from? How is it possible? Why is it here? What purpose do we have?” It makes my day to discover that I am still a part of it, alive and curious. The voice I hear is mine, something within me and something I have always taken for granted, never questioning who or what speaks to my inner ear. Ever since the consciousness of early childhood, it greets me daily. The confidant and partner allowing me to question and explore the world I experience and to test my thoughts and ideas. To be a thoughtful reader of my work and the library and storehouse of memory.
Now, late in life, I want to ask questions about all of this, find out if others experience it, and explore and share this. It is not without trepidation; I have never asked myself if others experience this. I do know that people who hear voices are often troubled and dangerous. Still, my voice is my own, not some god’s or malevolent demon. I think I’m OK here, and so we proceed.
For now, some housekeeping. At 82, I am a retired academic. I describe myself professionally as an oceanographer, research scientist, and teacher. However, I have many focused interests and a restless mind. I confess to being an autodidact, as were my father and grandfather, and I share with them a “photographic memory” that can be distressing to myself and others at times. Still, more often, it is a great pleasure to revisit my past in memories of those I love and events I treasure, and invaluable as a tabula rasa for my academic writing. Lastly, I am a compulsive reader of anything in print, from the Burmashave signposts of my childhood to more serious writing found in libraries, including those treasures I possess. Reading matters greatly to me, and I hope to share that with you. My inner conversations are products of all these “talents,” and their stories will unfold as we progress.
My offerings in Substack are intended to be weekly beginning in the New Year, and if interest can be sustained, they will continue. I would appreciate your comments and questions about almost anything. Like many, I have opinions and ideas that need exposure and debate, and I welcome that.
Dennis,
You are not alone. I have had dreams (and will probably have more). I call the precognition dreams. I know when I have one, and I immediately write down the dream and, more importantly, what it means. An inner voice.
Joel