If, When, Now That

This is, like everything, a work of complete and utter fiction.

“Childlike Wonder”, by Midjourney AI; my own prompt

I

If, some morning, this body were to awaken, without a sense of self and separation to reconstruct its worldview and conception of reality, nobody would notice. ‘I’ would not notice, since there would be no ‘I’ to notice. Nothing would have changed. Nothing would change.

If, some afternoon, while walking in the forest by the creek, this belief in being centred in this body, and in control of it, were to suddenly dissolve, the walk would continue, unchanged, and the apparent behaviours and preferences of this body thereafter would remain the same. No one would perceive any difference in what was seemingly happening.

If, late one evening, gazing down from this window at the night city and the night sky, and singing along with the music in the headphones, it suddenly became obvious that there was no one gazing, no one singing, and never had been, the gazing and singing, and the closing of blinds, and preparations for sleep, would continue as they seemingly always had.

“Absolutely.”

…..

II

When, some morning, this body awakens, without a sense of self and separation to reconstruct its worldview and conception of reality, nobody will notice. ‘I’ will not notice, since there will be no ‘I’ to notice. Nothing will have changed. Nothing will change.

When, some afternoon, while walking in the forest by the creek, this belief in being centred in this body, and in control of it, suddenly dissolves, the walk will continue, unchanged, and the apparent behaviours and preferences of this body thereafter will remain the same. No one will perceive any difference in what is seemingly happening.

When, late one evening, gazing down from this window at the night city and the night sky, and singing along with the music in the headphones, it suddenly becomes obvious that there is no one gazing, no one singing, and never has been, the gazing and singing, and the closing of blinds, and preparations for sleep, will continue as they seemingly always have.

“Possibly.”

…..

III

Now that each apparent morning this body awakens without a sense of self and separation to reconstruct its worldview and conception of reality, nobody notices or remembers its absence. There has never been anybody to notice. Nothing has ever actually changed.

Now that there is no one to believe that there was ever anything centred in this body or in control of it, whenever there is an apparent body walking in the forest by the creek, the apparent walking continues and the apparent behaviours and preferences of this body remain just as they seem. There is only what is seemingly happening.

Now that it is obvious that no one has ever gazed down from this apparent window at the night city and the night sky, or sung along with the music in the apparent headphones, the gazing and singing, and the closing of blinds, and preparations for sleep, continue as they seemingly always have.

“Inconceivable.”