Jot down the first thing that comes to your mind.

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People say, “Write down the first thing that comes to mind.”

I don’t think my mind works that way.

It’s more like…

How can I feed my mind today?

As I’m working on my comparative religion essay series, my thoughts branch off in every direction at once. How do I read these texts without forcing my own conclusions onto them? How do I compare beliefs fairly while still being honest about my own? Can I build something meaningful without oversimplifying thousands of years of history and philosophy?

Then my brain abruptly changes channels.

How do I keep moving this project forward without neglecting everything else I’m building across the MKU? Does this project even belong there, or should it become something entirely its own? Did I ever decide on a story for this week’s feature? What am I going to have for dinner?

Then another thought wanders in.

Maybe I should’ve been an archaeologist in another life. There’s something appealing about brushing away centuries of dust just to understand the people who came before us.

Or maybe a pirate.

Pirates are cool. Who doesn’t like pirates?

Although, if I’m being honest, I’d probably spend more time studying the treasure map than digging up the treasure.

And somewhere in the middle of all that…

Blueberry muffins are the truth.

That’s what living inside my head feels like. It’s less a straight line than a room full of conversations all happening at once. Some become essays. Some become stories. Some become questions that stay with me for years before I stumble across an answer.

Maybe that’s why the prompt made me laugh. Asking me for the first thing that comes to mind is like asking a library which book it wants to be. There isn’t just one. There never has been.

I don’t really chase thoughts.

I follow curiosity and see where it decides to take me next.