My brain has been hijacked by healing.

Soft underbelly

When my furry pal turns over because she trusts me,
Shows me her soft parts
Allowing me to stroke her lovingly,
She tells me that this is safe.

She luxuriates in the warmth of my touch,
The love that she knows
She shares with me.

How intimate is this connection
That we can share with a creature
So unlike, and so like ourselves.

When we have moments
Of simple clarity
Through pain, or joy
Sometimes
We can turn over
To expose our inner underbellies
With one another.

Pure bliss.
C. Scribner © 1/25/20


Have you ever spent time with Apple support on the phone? Yes? 3 1/2 hours? This is a success story.

Preparing for a marathon technology intervention, I assembled the five devices that needed my attention. Each device had issues.
1. My iPhone 6s
2. My MacBook Air
3. My iPad Gen 4
4. His iPad Gen 3
5. His iPhone 5

Now, I don’t suffer fools gladly. And, not being a fool myself, I don’t suffer well when treated as a fool. So when technology geeks begin with the question, “Is it plugged in?”, the clock is ticking on my patience. I have perhaps 10 minutes left.

Two hours into the conversation with Alan (the Apple tech), I found myself saying, “When all this is over, I think we might become good friends.” Say, what? Did I hear that right?! Hmmm... what’s going on here?

The short answer? My brain has been hijacked. Oh, and four of the five problems have been solved. The fifth... well, put it down to planned obsolescence. Nothing I can do about that.

My brain has been hijacked by healing. What? At my age? Well, yes. It’s possible. A year ago, encountering Alan at Apple would have decimated my day, or my week. This time, I completed the call tired, but satisfied. How did this happen?

Well, I’ll tell you. Simply put, I’ve been rewired. The brain circuits that quickly got fried when confronted by frustration now have a higher Om reading. Let me explain: unlike actual physical circuitry, which has limits of [conductivity] that are rated in [ohm], brain circuitry is what is called “plastic”, which in this context means moldable, changeable, healable. Able to be improved. Yes, improved, even at retirement age!

How to do that?

Food. Meditation. Reflection. Connection. Let’s unpack that.

First, sugar and flour are more addictive than cocaine and heroin, respectively. Sorry, yes. The brain research done by those in the know, namely, brain scientists, proves it through using PET scans of brain activity, and the like. I stopped eating it.

Second, daily meditation is free, quick (5 minutes some days) and not scary at all.

Third, a daily writing habit is 20 minutes. Finding clarity is priceless.

Finally, connection is more satisfying than I ever imagined. Finding a small group of people who are committed to one another’s growth has conferred inner riches to each of us. I am eternally grateful. And so are the techs on the other end of the line, who can end the conversation by saying, “It’s been a pleasure talking to you today”, and I believe it.

“Waking up this morning, I smile. Twenty-four brand new hours are before me. I vow to live fully in each moment and to look at all beings with eyes of compassion.” - Thich Nhat Hanh