If you believe in an order to things, underlying meaning, or universal conspiracy—amazing! But know that THE plan does not adhere to YOUR plan.

If there is a plan, we won't get it. We want to, though. We look for silver linings in setbacks and tragedies; we expect payoffs after obstacles; wins after losses; ascension after rock-bottom.

That's how the plan would work if we wrote it. Those are the tropes we expect. So when things don't go according to THAT plan, we get confused and frustrated. We lose faith.

"I want to believe there's a plan, but the play isn't providing for me."

Providing what? Money? Love? Fame? Those are human goals. The plan—if it exists—doesn't prioritize human goals. It isn't human.

Some say, "the plan provides not what you want, but what you need." That's still wrong. What do you need? Food? Shelter? Challenges? More human things.

If there is a plan, it looks after the universe's needs.

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Personally, I don't believe in "plans." I believe in priorities. I don't believe things happen for "reasons" we could ever articulate. I believe everything works towards one high-level goal.

For me, that goal is creation; novelty; art. The events of my life and the world around me unfold to create things, situations, and experiences the universe has never seen before. Sometimes I enjoy the novelty; sometimes it sucks; sometimes it's absurdly original; sometimes it's mundane.

That's all I know. I can't know the details. I don't even know why novelty is the goal—it's just what seems to fit.

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What's the point in believing in a plan that vague?

It takes the pressure off. We humans tend to think we HAVE to do a bunch of stuff—get rich; be seen; be loved; make a difference.

We don't, though. In the grand scheme of things, none of that matters. All those things that spike your blood pressure and keep you up at night? Trivial. There's something bigger at play; you're just one (awesome) tile in this giant mosaic.

Belief in a plan grants perspective. It helps me breathe easier. It makes me feel less alone.

And for me: vague is the only thing that makes sense. The more detail, the further from truth it feels.

But that's me—what do you believe?