If I Had A World Of My Own, Everything Would Be Nonsense
Lewis Carroll’s Alice in Wonderland possesses the power and the common sense to guide anyone from 1-100 through Life.
Photo Credits: The Blog
We might not realize it but all the wisdom we need is sometimes right under our noses in the tales and films we read and watch with our kiddos. The Little Prince and Willie Wonka are two strong examples that reveal the wisdom we look for on Youtube, Instagram, Tiktok and the shelves of self-help books. However, the true basics are all there in plain sight with colorful animations and metaphors to lighten up the deep messages. Lewis Carroll’s original children’s novel of 1865 and Disney’s film version of 1951 may both seem ancient, but the story and portrayal of Alice in Wonderland is more relevant and powerful than ever. And I am here to tell you, Parents or not Parents, that this tale is not just for children. This here tale is more for us adults than for the wondrous masters of Life that our children already innately are.
Yes, The Adventures of Alice in Wonderland tells of smoking caterpillars, disappearing cats, chanting flowers and un-birthday tea parties. But philosophically, metaphorically and spiritually-speaking, this impressively insightful children’s story bears more symbolic meaning than you can fit into the White Rabbit’s hole. To the undiscerning, this classic might appear to be downright nonsense. But metaphorically, reality is precisely just that.
Let’s imagine for a moment we are all Alice (or Al, if you will). Let’s find ourselves beckoned by our curiosity to follow this peculiar, hasty, neurotic White Rabbit down into a Land of Wonders.
As in the tale’s beginning, YOU, in reverie, bid your wish: “If I had a world of my own, everything would be nonsense. Nothing would be what it is, because everything would be what it isn’t. And contrariwise, what it is, it wouldn’t be, and what it wouldn’t be, it would.” 👏A bold but exciting wish I’d say, since you could never call Life “uninteresting” this way.
You: “I must get through!”
Doorknob: “Sorry, you’re much too big. Simply impassable.”
You: “You mean impossible.”
Doorknob: “No, impassable. Nothing’s impossible.”
Clearly, an introduction to the Law of Manifestation.
You: “Why, they’re only a pack of cards, after all. I needn’t be afraid of them!”
[Bravo, for being so self-assured and unafraid of Life’s absurdities, like when you find yourself surrounded by a group of “playing cards,” including a harsh, arbitrary, judgmental and dreadfully annoying Queen of Hearts.]
Caterpillar: “Who-ooo are you?”
You: “I hardly know, Sir. I’ve changed so many times since this morning, you see.”
Caterpillar: “I do not C. Explain yourself.”
You: “I’m afraid I can’t explain myself, Sir, because I’m not myself, you know.”
Caterpillar: “I do not know.”
You: “I can’t put it any more clearly, for it isn’t clear to me.”
We change, transform, and shift our sense of self ongoingly, and we are all undergoing the same confusion and disorientation as we move through this surreal experience of Life. And also, let’s not assume people know our “insides.”
Sometimes, many times, we best let go of our rules of logic, since they may likely prove useless when grappling with the conundrums of our identity, our perception of others, and the nature of reality.
You: “I just wanted to ask you which way I ought to go.”
Cheshire Cat: “Well, that depends… on where… you want to get to.”
You: “Oh it really doesn’t matter, as long as…”
Cheshire Cat (interrupts): “Then… it really doesn’t matter… which way you go. If I were looking for a rabbit, I’d ask the Mad Hatter.”
You: “Mad Hatter? No… No I don’t…”
Cheshire Cat: “Or… there’s the March Hare… Of course, he’s mad too.”
You: “But I don’t want to go among mad people.”
Cheshire Cat: “Oh, you can’t help that. Most everyone’s mad here. You may have noticed that I’m not all there myself.” (as he disappears, eyes crossing)
You: “Goodness, if people here are like that, I must try not to upset them.”
Here I interpret the message regarding our destiny in two ways. Either we need to be clear in our actions with a specific destination or objective—if not, one direction would be as good as any other. OR contrarily, any way we apply ourselves is fine, and will lead us to where we need to go cosmically. There’s another message here that I also interpret in two ways. Either our desire for normalcy and order to best deal with this ever-changing world is impossible since it goes against the very nature of this world OR that we need to forge normalcy and order (and strive for flexibility and diplomacy) in our lives in order to best adapt to its peculiarities.
March Hare: “See all the trouble you’ve started?”
You: “But really, I didn’t think…”
March Hare: “Ah but that’s just the point. If you don’t think, you shouldn’t talk.”
People are unpredictable. Those around us may engage in bizarre or rude behavior and may sometimes criticize us for what we said or did without considering the absurdity of their own behavior. Here, I am reminded of Don Miguel Ruiz’s 4 tenets of Life: 1. Be impeccable with your word (think before you speak, so as to not add more chaos to the chaos); 2. Don’t take things so personally (it’s not ALL about YOU); 3. Don’t make assumptions (don’t assume you are a “know-it-all”); and 4. Do your best (which is doing all of the above, and all we can do).
You: “It would be so nice if some things would make sense for a change.”
When it comes to the nonsense and unpredictability of it all, exchange frustration for bewilderment, and a sense of humor. Don’t take it all so seriously. And don’t forget to love yourself.
Mad Hatter: “A land was full of wonder, mystery, and danger. Some say, to survive it, you need to be as mad as a hatter. Which, luckily, I am.”
Eccentricity and confusion are not only to be accepted but expected in Life. Given the rigid social norms of the real world, it is only normal that we find ourselves and others behaving and thinking unconventionally and incongruously. To navigate this world successfully, we can all embrace being “Mad Hatters.”
You: “How queer everything is to-day! And yesterday things went on just as usual. I wonder if I’ve been changed in the night? Let me think: was I the same when I got up this morning? I almost think I can remember feeling a little different. But if I’m not the same, the next question is, Who in the world am I? Ah, THAT’S the great puzzle!”
In a place where puzzles, riddles, and enigmas abound, fully welcoming the non-sense with curiosity—and WONDER—is our only way to make sense of it all.
For a deeper dive into this topic, hop over to —> In Essence, It’s Nonsense.
AND HERE, BEFORE TAKING A BITE FROM THE MAGIC MUSHROOM AND SLIPPING DOWN ANOTHER RABBIT’S HOLE, A FEW SENSIBLE WORDS FROM STEPHEN HAWKING, TO ADD SOME SENSE TO ALL THE NONSENSE:
“The Universe doesn’t allow perfection.”
“Intelligence is the ability to adapt to change.”
“The thing about smart people is that they seem like crazy people to dumb people.”
“Quiet people have the loudest minds.”
“The greatest enemy of knowledge is not ignorance, it is the illusion of knowledge.”
“Remember to look up at the stars and not down at your feet.”
The moral of this post: Nonsense tells us more about ourselves than sense ever could.
[A side note on Madness: the basic human condition is not that we all share some form of ignorance, but that we all share some relative form of madness, for which there seems to be no appropriate remedy 😲😩😂👌😜]
And lastly, as our endearingly cheeky Doorknob advised, “Read the directions, and directly you’ll be directed in the right direction.”
Happy Happy Un-Birthday to me!!🎉🎂🎁
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