At Random

Random is the instant a horse at full speed has all four hooves off the ground. — Mark Nepo

At Random

I have studied the concept of wide-awakeness for many years. It seems related to at random to me. Wide-awakeness is the idea that we can achieve a state of flow, heightened consciousness, and greater awareness. Wide-awakeness can happen while we are acting in a play, playing a chess match, climbing a mountain, presenting in public, or really doing anything that requires us to become one with a given moment. In describing wide-awakeness, philosophers talk about our capacity to be both in experiences and of experiences. Being in and of experiences is at random. For horses, at random is when they are running, all hooves are off the ground, and they are basically flying forward.

What At Random Is For Me

At Random Looks Like

Births. Deaths. Weddings. Funerals. Graduations. Cats purring. Dolphins jumping. Derby Day. Thanksgiving dinner. Christmas candle light service. NCCA college basketball tournament. Opening night of a play. Palm trees during a hurricane. Make believe. Rainbows. Heart shaped rocks.

At Random Tastes Like

Red velvet cupcakes. Blue crab. Stone crab. Grilled cheese and tomato soup. Chocolate. Mashed potatoes. Benedictine. Pasta. Eagle Rare. Sushi. Hasenpfeffer. Divinity. Drop biscuits. Watermelon in July. Pumpkin pie in October.

At Random Smells Like

Fresh chocolate chip cookies. The Olympic Peninsula. Lavender. Clean laundry. Popcorn at a movie theater. Peonies. Salt water. Fresh bread. Channel #5. White Linen. Gramp’s pipe tobacco. Rosemary. Cinnamon rolls. Mint. New car.

At Random Sounds Like

Cats purring. An invitation. An apology. Good news. Bluegrass. Michael Franti. Children laughing. Waterfalls. Wind in palm trees. A dear friend’s voice. A cello. A harp. Jazz. Pillow talk. Poetry.

At Random Feels Like

The last stretch of a road race. Breathing in Warrior pose. Teaching a subject I love. Standing on top of a glacier. Singing with a choir. Snorkeling near ship wrecks. Taking an airboat in the Everglades. Dancing anywhere or anytime. Resolving difficult problems. Finding a new opportunity. Reading something that sweeps me away. Watching a movie that is so good I forget to critique it. Writing when the muse in visiting. When I am truly heard. When I truly hear.