According to the merriam-webster dictionary online, Nirvana is described as
1. :the final beatitude that transcends suffering, karma, and samsara and is sought especially in Buddhism through the extinction of desire and individual consciousness
https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/nirvana
2. a :a place of state of oblivion to care, pain, or external reality
b :a goal hoped for but apparently unattainable
I would assume most people would want their alternate universe to be some such sort of place. A place of peace and tranquility. Somewhere to have total freedom to do as you please. Eat and drink what you want, live how you want, interact with who you want. The easy life.
As the definition describes, “a place of state of oblivion to care, pain, or external reality.” Nothing bothers you, there is no stress, no pain, no illness, or any disease. There is nothing that is a hindereance to you, you’re living in total ignorant blissfull pleasure.
Souds cathartic for sure. But is this a place someone would truly want to be? Is this a place you would want to exist. When I think of a place like this, it sounds boring after a while. Sure, it would be nice to have that from time to time, but to be in a state of cathartic blissful nirvana seems overkill.
We’re naturally problem solving creatures; curios and attracted to drama. The drama doesnt have to be negative or harmful. It could be the drama of watching your child play a sport for the first time, or even having a project due for your employer. There is a good amount of stress that we do need in our life. Get’s the heart beating, the blood pumping, and the immune system active.
So, it got me thinking, if I chose any life to live in an alternate universe, it would definitely be one of mystery, drama, action, comedy, and of course romance. It would be set in the future, but somewhere far far far in the future, you know, after AI, robots, and zombies have had their run of things.
My nirvana would not be so much of a nirvana at all, I don’t want to always be in a state of blissfull ignorance. Peace and tranquility is something I would want to work for, through knowledge and hardwork. Making the cake and then eating it makes it so much more sweeter than it being made for you.
Maybe it would be better told in a story. A typical day in my life in an alternate universe.
My eyelids feel weighted as I try to pry them open. I slowly and gingerly touch my swollen top lip. It’s tender to the touch. The aching in my body offers a distraction to the pounding headache I had from last night.
I slowly rise, cross my legs and sit in an upright position. The warm sunlight pierces the makeshift tent I made with an old tarp I found. My right hand wontedly reached for the pistol on my right hip. Feeling the cool metal slide across my fingertips provided me with repose. I reflected on yesterday’s venture, I winced at the thought of what I felt I was forced to do. There was so much blood. What would today’s activities bring.
I gathered the few possesions I had around me, shoved them in my pack, and prepared to venture out for some food. As I peeked my head out, there were about 15 scattered tents in the abandoned parking lot, 10 – 15 feet of space between each tent. I heard rustlings in a few. As my eyes scanned the area, they landed on a guy I had crossed paths with before.
He was sitting outside his tent with a small makeshift fire, with a tin can on top. He was bold to be out in the open cooking anything, but with the semi auto sitting on his side and the sling blade he had across his back, I guess he had the balls to back up his boldness. He had a gas mask on that he took off when he noticed me watching him.
HIs eyes lifted up and met mine. We held each others gaze for a moment. He had the same look most people had nowadays. Exhuasted, battered, insomnolent, yet alert and observant.
His rugged looks stirred something in me that I hadn’t felt in years, not since way before the uprising. I pushed it away, out of the forefront of my mind. He gave a quick short, two fingered, wave with a solemn look on his face. I nodded in response.
I finished getting my pack ready when I feel a presense approaching me. My hand immediately reached for my piece to take the safety off. I slowly rise to face whatever is about to happen. It’s the guy from across the way.
“I mean no harm, I only come to offer coffee.” His voice was suprisingly deep with a warm inviting tone. “I don’t drink coffee.” I said with a habitual harshness that I didn’t intend. He only nodded in response. He continued to stand there in silence. I slung my pack over my shoulder, flipped my pistol back on safe, looked him in the eye and just blantantly stated, “I could use some company though.”
The half smile he presented told me his answer. He slung his own pack over his shoulders, “What adventure shall we embark on today?” I looked off into the distance, it was barren. Shrubberry, trees, weeds, and greenery began to overtake much of the tall buildings that were once the dominating structures in the area. “I haven’t had a shower in weeks.” was my response.
“Shower it is then ….?” He paused so that I can fill the space with a name. “You can call me Zay.” Another smirk crept across his face, this time his teeth peeked through; they were straight, clean, and looked healthy. It made that feeling in me rise again, which caused his eyes to smolder. “I’m Flip.” I smirked myself.
Today was going to be an adventure.
A dystopian future where money has no value, power has no influence, everyone is on an even playing field. It’s about survival. Making meaningful, logical, and deep connections. People have to work together to build small close knit communities and rebuild. There’s more focus on health and well being than politics, symantics, material items, religion, economics, and entertainment. There’s no time for people to be stuck in their phones, or other screens getting lost in the programming of networks, or gaming systems.
No doubt it will be rough, difficult, even arduous, but people will be forced to live in the moment and experience life through a new lense, and not through the lense of other people, government or organizations.
This is an alternate universe that I would not only desire to be apart of but I would also enjoy. To embark on the journey of making meaningful and lasting connections, to have arduous and cumbersome obstacles, to live life on with the stresses of life instead of the stresses of differences is what would truly allow me to experience Nirvana within self.
Am I a person that believes it will take a global disaster to truly bring people out of their stupor? Yes. Though I don’t wish it, but the division that has come between the human race has become unbearable to witness.
My life in an alternate universe? Not the popular choice, but definitely an exciting, intriguing, and intersting place to be.
Peace and Blessings. Always Anima
True Wife Confessions 
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