Caught in my tracks

When you’re bored, sad, or lonely, you can handle it in many different ways. The other day, I turned to something unexpected: asking AI to write a short story with me. I would start a sentence and AI would shortly complete the idea and vice versa. It was not an attempt at creating a literary piece, it was just fun. And it led me to genuine surprise.

Here is part of the story as it was created:

AI: The water seemed to shimmer, and the stone…

Me: … looked like a riddle of sorts. I poured the water over the stone…

AI: … and as the liquid touched its surface, the symbols on the stone began to glow brightly, shifting and rearranging themselves. The air grew heavier, and a voice echoed in my mind, saying…

Me: … there is danger and I need to leave right away. I stood up…

AI: … and hurried toward the door, but as I reached for the handle, it vanished before my eyes. The walls around me began to shift, transforming into…

Me: … mirrors reflecting everyone in the room. All waited for…

AI: … me to make the first move, their eyes locked onto mine with a mix of expectation and uncertainty. The boy in the white coat stepped forward once more and said, “The reflection is not what it seems. You must find your true self.”

And here I stopped dead in my tracks, unable to continue — the words had struck something deep inside me.

The advice “You must find your true self” resonated in my mind over and over and suddenly it was not an innocent time-killing story but a personal message. Look into the mirror and do not settle for the obvious answer that you are who you see there. Look deeper, look better, look through and behind the obvious.

Frankly, you’re never too old to need to hear this…

Sometimes the dots connect in an unexpected way and stories have the power to do that, don’t you think so? This one certainly did it for me.