Ever since she realised the power of her imagination, she had been doing this: thinking something up, and travelling forward in time to find it. Today it was a new novel by her favourite author. She hadn’t asked him to write it — in fact, she hadn’t mentioned her desire to anyone. She had simply thought — rather off-handedly, since these days she felt conceitedly adept at this task — that it would be a nice thing. A short trip in time, and here it was, in her hands. She decided to sit in a coffee shop and start reading. 

There was a particular café nearby where she had brought about the existence of a delicious kind of sponge cake made of almond flour and rose water. She didn’t know a thing about baking, but here it was in the window, just as she’d asked. She went inside, ordered a slice, and chose a cosy armchair to settle into. There were greater things she had imagined into being, too, vaguer, more complicated dreams that had been taking shape since she was a little girl, and enveloping her in their influence… like the web of opportunities that allowed her to spend all day reading and time travelling.

She wondered whether all the things around her, the ones she didn’t remember asking for, were other people’s desires taking shape. ‘I hope so,’ she thought.

Inspiration

Lately, I’ve been finding that many of my little velleities are fulfilled almost instantly. I think I’d like to read a book, and a week later, there it is, in the bookshop; I think I’d like to learn more about a subject, and in the middle of a random procrastinatory Youtube-watching session, I find the cue; I think it’s time I had a pink fountain pen, and when I log in to Facebook (only because my aunt asked me to like one of her posts)… there’s an ad for one, AND a fortnight-old message from a friend I was wishing to meet.

I can’t help marvelling at all of the ideas and inventions that lie behind the things we use every day. How many people and circumstances have come together to bring you these experiences! You couldn’t have organised it all consciously if you tried ever so hard.

When I was little, the internet wasn’t yet a place where one could earn a living. Who could have imagined the lifestyles available to writers now, where we can bring projects into fruition instantly, publish our work instantly, and communicate with our readers instantly? It’s as if the friction between our thoughts and their physical manifestations is fast being worn away.

Here’s a response I received to this story on Instagram:

What a great idea!

It fills me with excitement to think of these forces coming together, and to think of the stepping stones I can put in place for future delights (for myself, AND for others).

We’re all time-travellers, after all.

One Page

This is the new challenge I’m posing you (and myself): to tell a story on just one page. And not just any story, but a story that is as interesting, as inspiring, as powerful, as paradigm-shifting as you can make it!

Click the image below for the one page story index, and feel free to share it on social media & challenge your friends!