The year of Dot…..

Maureen McMahon

It’s six in the morning. 31 October 2019 and fairly cold but not freezing by any means. A
nice kind of cold which I read somewhere on the internet is just right for health. Well
then! I am lying in bed. Brain just checked into this reality, emerging from the dream
place. Swimming between the two realities for a while, I try to force myself back into the
dream place until I have to accept that, like it or not, the reality of the body, lying in the
bed with pictures and stories running through it’s top floor, is also checking in and trying
to take over. The body itself feeling good, warm and strong, stretches itself out wiggling
toes and other bits of itself. A little soreness in the hip containing the steel plate, which
does not bother me. I am used to it. I just feel it and give it a nod. Part of myself! I begin
to hear the muscles calling for movement, the blood, bored from having its flow slowed
down during sleep, wants me up and out of bed to get flowing faster again. There’s no
escaping it now and the brain is fully aware of that.

It (the brain) tries to fight it, telling the body ‘look I am enjoying my reverie, the movies in
my head and yes, I am working on stuff too in case you think it is all just fun up here in
the brain department! I want to be amused and entertained for a bit longer. Sh.i.t, it
wasn’t a great day yesterday all things considered and it is my RIGHT to lie here as long
as I want and enjoy it. Picking up a few hints for the new day by seeing whatever might
have caused yesterdays discomfort, must be considered just as important in the greater
scheme of things as anything you need to be doing down there in Bodyland? One or two
ideas for example, about what should or should not be repeated today for a better
outcome than yesterday, may emerge? Finding which thoughts, feelings, conversations,
actions and re-actions were of any use and eliminating those that were not must be a
valid area of enquiry, which is, at the same time, looking after your interests. Come on!
You know it’s important for you too and I WANT to continue lying here and mulling it over.
Be careful, my dear body, that you do not interfere too intrusively with this important
work. Please shut up and leave Brain alone to get on with it’s business. Thank you!

Sei vorsichtig, mein lieber Körper, dass du diese wichtige Arbeit nicht zu aufdringlich
störst. Bitte halt die Klappe und lass das Gehirn in Ruhe, um mit der Sache fertig zu
werden. Danke!

Body will not be ignored however, and having been allowed only a couple more grace
minutes by Brain, is suddenly catapulted out of the bed with thoughts beginning to swirl
around, stacked on top of each other, rapidly changing stacking position, switching places
in the list and presenting several options as a potential number one action. Brain tries to
focus in and narrow it down somewhat, to hone in on what action, out of all the possible
actions available, should be the first one of the day. It has compiled a list while
disengaging itself from the dream space and connecting to the body, of the actions it
should consider following through with today or binning:

Body stretches out, swings arms, walks around on toes, feels muscles waking up and brain
is thinking ‘ok muscles and blood, that’s what you wanted isn’t it? To be recognised and
acknowledged and given a voice by the creature or being, whose material existence you
are supporting with all your work. You are heard by me I promise you! I apologise for
the times when I ignore you-and sometimes I do I know- but you also know that I will
make up for it if you start becoming distressed don’t you? Yeah! Brain can certainly wield
the upper hand at times and want to take over, but it deeply knows that it needs your co-
operation to carry out any of it’s plans and movements. So bear with me please! I am
only the assistant director and must always try to find the best way to balance you
servants of the master. The main director is keeping tabs on all the time on me so I have
to.

Then the number one action for the day presents itself unequivocally. No hint of any other
jumping into first place at this point. The fog clears! The stacked thoughts disintegrate
into nothing! The number one action looms into view! The decision is made! Make
coffee!!