Part 1: My waking dream

When I was young, I would lie awake at night and think. I would think about atoms and time and the beauty of music. And I would be filled with such joy - such pure and beautiful joy - that I would shiver with excitement. One night, I realized I was an extraordinary person and decided I would lead an extraordinary life. I concluded that all the marvels and wonders of existence of which I was so acutely aware were mine to behold and to cherish, and, most importantly, to cultivate and manifest into a life of tremendous accomplishment and joy. In those moments, I felt no greater truth than this: that my life was special and that I would use it to do great things for myself and for others.