Blog #647: Hanging Out with a Fortune Teller

Recently…

I spent a moment with a scientist.
Then a philosopher.
And then a fortune teller.

The guy was all three.

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And he was only in 3rd grade.

Uh, huh.

Here’s the story.

The young guy was swimming back and forth in the giant Jacuzzi under the careful eye of a mom who was watching him for her friend. The 3rd grader stopped in front of me as I leaned against a Jacuzzi jet on the wall.

“I’m going to be a scientist,” he said.

I inquired why, and he began sharing astonishing science-related things. His words were rich with passion and understanding…and admittedly, I was in a slight Twilight Zone moment.

“How does his young brain know so much?” I wondered in silence.

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And then…

The scientist transformed into a philosopher. He said:

“We’re living in the future. The present leaves every second.”

I was on more equal ground on the topic of philosophy rather than science, so I pushed him to see if he REALLY knew what he was talking about.

He explained his comment better than I could.

He then dived back into the warm water and paddled to the opposite wall.

I was mystified by the depth of thought in his young brain.

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Then…

The philosopher paddled back…and when he popped up, he slipped his goggles to the top of his head and stood in front of me. This was his fortune-teller look.

“You’re going to live to 90,” he said.

“How do you know THAT? I asked.

“I just do,” he responded.

The goggles went back down and he paddled away again.

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Life is fascinating.

Life is mysterious.

Life is inspiring.

Life is crazy cool.

When we walk through feeling and breathing it.

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Could the young fortune teller’s vision prove true?

Who knows?

It’s possible.

If I’m still writing this blog in 30 years…

I’ll circle back and share that, indeed, his prediction came true.

But…

There is something mysteriously magical about what’s possible.

I just watched a video of a 2-year-old who recited the periodic table not in memorized order…but when each unique symbol was pointed to in a different row, the 2-year-old (with rough pronunciation) identified it.

Much is possible.

More than I imagine.

Have I been underestimating myself…and what’s still possible?

Perhaps, it’s time to recharge my imagination about the subject of possibility.

In my life.

You?

S.

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NOTE: The photo above was taken on my 750-mile hike around Shikoku, Japan. The trail is connected by hiking up jungle-like mountains and along ocean coasts to 88 Buddhist temples…one after another. “Go again?” I wonder.