Cookie Fortune.
He stepped through the gate where the fortunes were made,
Cracked open a cookie - confused, but he stayed.
“Your life will be grand!” the first one proclaimed -
But he wanted specifics, not something so vague.
“Adventure awaits!” said another with flair.
“Love’s just around corners, look out if you dare.”
“Change is your friend.” - “Your stars are aligned.”
But none of them told him the place or a time.
“We don’t know your future,” one fortune confessed.
“It’s meant to be fun - we just sort of guess.”
Still he opened and read, as time slipped away,
‘Til his hair had turned silver, and his cane led the way.
The last one he held refused to unfold -
It curled in his palm, a secret gone cold:
“You asked every cookie what life had to say -
But life doesn’t wait… and yours faded away.
The answer you sought was in days that you spent,
Asking about your life - but it came, and it went.”
He stared at the fortune, then let it fall down,
Exited the factory, and walked out of town.
No drumroll. No spotlight. No grand final scene -
Just a boy who grew old, in a world he’d not seen.
The boy finds the fortune cookie factory by accident. At first, it’s kind of fun - these little slips of wisdom feel like they’re guiding him somewhere. But soon, he’s hooked. He keeps opening one more cookie, hoping the next one will finally tell him the secret to life. In his search for shortcuts, he misses actually living.
I’m standing at a crossroad in life, and I want answers. That’s just not how the earth game works…feeling stuck, looking for glimmers on the horizon, asking friends for their perspective, throwing questions at robots hoping to get a grip on where the world is heading.
But I recognize, no one else can give me my answers. Clarity isn’t something you’re handed - it’s gained by moving forward without having it all figured out. Lately, I feel like i’ve been overthinking and caught in analysis paralysis - if you’ve been reading over the past few weeks, you may know i’m navigating being laid off in a tricky job market right now.
Some days I wake up with a sob and others I’m ready to conquer the world - the ups and downs are tiring. I want answers, should I stay in my current field? do I need to pivot my career? should I say f* it and go for my dream of being a self-employed artist. Time will tell… but for today, i know better than asking cookies.
Have you ever looked outward for answers, only to find them within?
I really appreciate hearing your thoughts, any reflections and connecting with you! thanks for being here and sharing your voice in the comments -
much love,
atom
As you've rightly noted, nobody else can give you your answer.
Sometimes though, I think you need to not worry what the answer is. Just pick a direction, start walking, and be surprised where the paths take you.
In a way, that's a big part of why I'm here. I can't say I have answers yet, but I'm finding whole new worlds of possibility.
Aww this one makes me so sad.
I can relate to it. A lot of it actually.
The last cookie… is a hard one to swallow.
I appreciate you for sharing your ups and downs. Even when it’s hard.