This morning it occured to me that I have never in my life actually worked to write a story. My lines are usually interpretations of reality and serve as little more as a documentation of my own journey. I have committed to entering a short story contest, with the purpose of giving this writing thing a serious try, seeing something through to the end, past the butterflies.

I made the mistake of reading last year’s winning entry which in turn immediately discouraged me. Stupid move, I agree. I didn’t stop there though, but pulled myself together not ready to give up a fight I hadn’t started.

My story had it’s subject but no plan on how to set up a worthwile stage around it. I borrowed the first part of a previous blog draft and started fiddling around with it, cutting a lot and adding more packaging. As my mind continues to juggle ideas, I find myself enjoying myself. I noticed that my original idea was hardly enough to capture any reader’s interest, and so this morning I continued the story. Apart from the 50 page book I wrote in high school, I have never spent this much time on one thing.

It is coming together. Slowly.

I still think of you
when the world slows down
maybe unconciously
maybe purposely
for I don’t want to forget.

I still feel you
inbetween heart beats
maybe unconciously
maybe purposely
for I don’t want to let you go.

I still hear you
when I turn inside
maybe unconciously
maybe purposely
for your voice shall not cease.

I still need you
always
conciously
and for a purpose.

And I send a message via angels.

I don’t know what it was.
It might just be me.
It might be the friends I have.
It might be the books I’ve read.
It might be the way my eyes see things.
It might be because it has to be.

But something is different inside.
There’s a light that shines.
There’s a force stronger than anything I’ve known.
There’s a quest.
A quest to….
believe.

What a fascinating read! Not just because it’s jammed packed with lots of interesting neuro-scientific information which is served in a very palatable way, but because it’s full of challenges to what we humans have wrongly believed for many years.

Feynman used to say ’something is only the truth until someone disproves it’. Yes, and the brain being the one organ that we’ve left to tackle last, holds vast amounts of – well – brain real estate. Best of all, it’s plasticity allows it to learn for as long as it’s taught something. Whether that’s because we decide to teach it something or it passively learns, it will not sit idly.

All in all a great read, with lots of inspiring accounts of our abilities to defy brain injuries.