i am a human.

experiences generate ideas.
ideas generate thoughts.
thoughts generate actions.
actions change the world.
changes ripple through the ages.

i am all of these things, but none of them are me.

i will pay attention to my experiences.
they are food for my mind.
i will ensure that my mind has enough to eat,
and also that i do not overfeed it.
i will pay attention to my choice of food,
but i will sample many flavors.

i will pay attention to my ideas.
they are abstractions of my experiences.
the truth of an idea is separate from the idea.
ideas may be true, or false, or context-dependent, or complicated.
fact and fiction live in the same space.
i will find the balance between doubt and confidence.
i will not be afraid to drop ideas, or to pick up new ones.
i will constantly refine my concepts of everything.

i will pay attention to my thoughts.
they are a combination of my ideas and my experiences.
they are a living echo of my conclusions and my memories.
my thoughts are not me, but they say things about me.
if i do not like my thoughts, i will work on my experiences and my ideas.
if they overwhelm me from within, i will focus on my physical senses.
if they do not come when i call, i will close my eyes.

i will pay attention to my actions.
my actions arise from my thoughts,
which are grounded in my experience and my ideas.
with a broad and sturdy base, i will act from many good perspectives.

i will pay attention to my environment.

where i am right now,
the patterns of my daily life,
the town, the country, the planet,
and the universe.

where i am right now,
my skin, my cells, my DNA,
and the vast bustling nanosystem which comprises my existence.

this moment, yesterday,
last week, last month, last year,
last decade, last century, last millenium,
last ten thousand years, last hundred thousand years,
last million years, and beyond into the past.

this moment, tomorrow,
next week, next month, next year,
next decade, next century, next millenium,
next ten thousand years, next hundred thousand years,
next million years, and beyond into the future.

i am here. i am now.

all rivers have a source, and a path they take.
the water knows where to go, from the mountain to the sea.
it is cool, and steady, and clear, formed of particles of the ocean.
it gives to the land as it travels, to the plants and animals.
it carries what is put in it, and it gives until it is no longer a river.
it simply becomes water.
free. latent. sizeless.