While I was in NYC, I performed an impromptu palm reading session that surprised me because, though I was mostly bullshitting, (a) I found myself taking it seriously as I was talking, and (b) others found it satisfying, even though they knew I was mostly bullshitting.
Bear in mind, all I know about palm reading I learned from some book that was sitting around my house when I was fifteen. Probably this one.
But I do kind of believe in palm reading. I notice the lines of my own hand changing as I grow – and it’s hard not to think this means something. Right?
On the other hand… it’s silly. Once I paid a lady $10 to read my palm and she told me I would be a teacher and a doctor. And I am neither a teacher nor a doctor. (Unless you count “theater artist” as teacher and “palm reader” as doctor).
Today I did some serious (really really serious) research about palm reading on the internet. And it struck me as silly.
And yet, I am drawn to the idea of being a palm reader! Which is not really that surprising as I am drawn to sudden drunken insights and random fits of inspiration. I am an American after all and we basically invented the idea of satori – sudden blinding enlightenment. So I roll my eyes at this desire of mine, to stumble upon insight with no effort whatsoever.
On the other hand… many good things in my life – the big steps & AHA moments – have come about this way. So there is a reason I take it seriously.
Two examples:
+ As I’ve mentioned before, I moved out to Oregon on a whim with my best friend, Aryn. We both had a strong, gut instinct to get in the car and drive, and maybe settle down somewhere along the way from Michigan to Oregon. All I knew about Oregon was that it had a climate like Ireland’s, that my Aunt Diane lived there, and that Portland was a cool town. Ten years later I’m still here.
+ I joined Hand2Mouth on accident after I met some guy at a party who said he was going to a meeting about teaching in schools. I was so eager to meet people that I found out where the meeting was taking place and drove there on a dark rainy Tuesday night. Nobody else was there yet, except for this guy with intense blue eyes named Jonathan. The dude I’d met at the party never showed up, and in fact the meeting was not about teaching in schools – these people had been invited by Jonathan to discuss starting a theater company. I immediately knew that this was the group for me, even though they were all badasses and the only theater training I had was doing community theater in Lansing, Michigan. Ten years later, everyone who was at that meeting (except Jonathan) has gone on to other things but other people have joined and it’s become an even stronger group than I could have imagined, one I still feel so lucky to be working with. And somewhere in there I fell in love with Jonathan and we got married. Who would have seen that coming?
So... I don’t know if this means I should go into palm reading.
But if anyone out there knows someone in the Portland area who is a respectable palm reader, introduce me. I’m curious.
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So last night I dreamt I was in a carnival act and reading people's fortunes with a deck of playing cards (not tarot). And a few weeks ago I paid a woman an obscene amount of money to tell me that I was going to follow Brian to his job and be miserable for six years. I'd rather read my own fortune.
ReplyDeleteDang it! Aren't they supposed to mask their dire predictions as "opportunities for growth" or something? I mean, I'm no expert but if it looked like someone was going to be miserable for six years, I would phrase it differently.
ReplyDeleteThat's why I'd make a good palm reader! And you would too, Aryn.
Where did she say Brian's job was going to be, though? (just curious) :)