T: Potential

Etymology: The origin of this symbol and spectrum

“T” as possible helps me see that, as long as the straight line of being doable is not passed. The “T” of impossible tells me it is too late to go back, to undo. And now what? the loop seems to ask.

I first developed “t” as possible to encourage myself, to steel myself to do a task, write a report, talk to someone about a difficult subject. But then I collapsed into a wheelchair and it was no longer possible to walk, to dance, to hike. So, ok, now what can I do? What is possible? And then my love became ill with cancer, and we would both draw the “T” of impossible and discuss our options. Ok, so you can’t breathe without the oxygen tubes. How can we travel with oxygen? How can we camp with this? And we found ways.

“T” as procrastination is also a new concept for this rolling out of the Rose language. My friend pointed this out as a gap, as a state many of find ourselves in. At first, I thought about putting this as a separate section, then perhaps aligning it with the “b” of fear, but then procrastination seemed to me to be the swinging between what is possible (I could do this report, I will get to my homework, but first I want to go to the ball game, watch this tv show, clean my room, clean out the cat litter… and then suddenly it is Monday morning at 8 am and it is now impossible to study for that test, to bring that report to the boss by 9). So I added a middle continua to the spectrum of possibilities—as I glide from what is still possible, but put off until I crash into the wall of impossibilities.

Orthography: How to remember these symbols

To draw the “t” of possible, draw the “deadline,” that straight line, and put the loop before it. You can do this. You are in the realm of the possible.

To draw the “t” of impossible, draw the “deadline,” and put the loop after it. Now that deadline is past. You can’t do this. Find some other way to meet your goals.

Philosophy: How I use these symbols to embrace life

Sometimes I procrastinate, as I could do this thing, but I do not want to (like cleaning my house). To help motivate me, I draw the loop in the “t” of possible and imagine what I am going to do, what is possible, within that loop. Then I connect it to that deadline, thus galvanizing myself into action before I miss the opportunity.

Ok ok, that is the ideal. What often happens is I keep doodling the reminder until it is too late. And sometimes, when I draw this, I get the loop on the impossible side. Then I ask myself: Why is this impossible? Is it that I can not do it? What do I need to do to make this possible? Or what can I do instead to meet my needs and goals?

When things are no longer possible, I try to console myself with the line, saying that this is now behind me, and I have to figure out a new loop, a new thing I could do…given the new limitations. Then I draw the "t" now both ways, putting the loop on the possible end, then on the impossible end.