“If at first you don’t succeed, try doing it differently.”
Jimmy had worked hard for most of his life. Just like his dad. Jimmy had fashioned a life of integrity and empathy. Just like his dad. But Dad had retired early, and so had Jimmy’s oldest brother. Somehow, Jimmy had added longevity to the work ethic.
Jimmy always felt good about himself after working hard at something and then seeing the results. He supposed everyone felt that way, really. It was like a testimony that he really could change the world, or at least his small part of it. And that made him real, didn’t it? No matter how much non-duality stuff Jimmy read, he still thought he was real.
Joy was probably the most real thing in Jimmy’s mind. He loved to laugh and seemed to be able to find the “funny” in almost any experience. The joy he found in laughter was very close to the joy he found in love. Love made him more prone to laugh! Something about the freedom that love gifted the mind allowed humor to bubble up more consistently.
Jenny always made him laugh. She knew his mind well enough to know what made him laugh and also felt free to do just that. Love allowed freedom of speech. It was easy to laugh when the mind was coached to be open and quick with no fear of humiliation. And nothing was quite so creative as making someone laugh! It was a mirror as much as love. Joy reflects the innermost feelings in the same way that love does, opening the soul and freeing the mind.
Jenny made him smile. Jimmy made her laugh. Together, they made love.
“Jenny, life is so good now with you in it!”
“Well, Jimmy,” she responded quickly, “then you’re gonna have it good for a long time to come because I’m not going anywhere!”
“Ditto, Girlfriend!” Jimmy concurred. “I almost can’t remember life without you. It’s just a grey cloud back there somewhere.” Jimmy pointed his thumb over his shoulder. “And I’m not going back!”
“We’re only Being Here Now.” Jenny quoted Ram Dass loosely. “And the dream we share just keeps getting better. I think when we went ‘all in,’ we somehow opened up a whole new metaverse. One that didn’t exist before, at least not for either of us, alone.”
“I think you’re right!” Jimmy conceded. “There may have been multiple ‘other’ paths life could have taken, but together, new paths opened up that sure had a lot more light on them!”
“And in them!” Jenny added, grinning brightly.
“I feel so safe in your love that it changes everything.”
“I feel the same way, Jimmy. It’s as if life got lighter and easier as our love deepened.”
“Maybe love really IS the only real thing.”
“Not Coca-Cola?” Jenny teased.
“Well, maybe that, too.” They laughed together like they tended to all the time now.
“Thanks, Jenny, for hitching your wagon to mine.”
“Well, Cowboy, I guess we both got lucky when my wagon crashed into yours.”
“Well, howdy, partner! I guess we did.”
“The dream that streams together, shines brightest.”