After Thought

by P. A. Crenshaw

“When I first started learning about RTP, it would take weeks, and sometimes even months, for me to manifest things. I would doubt that RTP even worked. I would doubt myself. But once I saw that it worked, my faith grew stronger and stronger. And as I saw more and more positive results, I got to where it would only take days or hours to manifest what I desired. I was elated the first time I instantaneously manifested something. And once that happened, my faith in RTP was cemented forever.

  But for many, like James, belief in RTP is elusive. Some people cannot wrap their minds around the concept. I have seen cases where it took someone over a year to manifest a single thing. Sometimes it takes a lifetime. I have even seen some that never believe and it doesn’t work for them. But again, I don’t want to discourage you. I’ve also seen people master it very quickly.”

  Adam said, “It is hard to wrap my mind around it because in my entire lifetime you are the only person with this ability I have ever met. I mean, I remember my parents used to tell me that I could do anything in life if I believed in myself. But they don’t have any knowledge of RTP. I thought that was just something parents tell their kids to encourage them to chase their dreams. And I do believe that to some degree. But I’ve never seen anyone materialize things the way you do. What you do seems miraculous and out of reach for us mere mortals.”

  She nudged him and chuckled as she said, “I know it’s hard to understand at first. But that’s just it, Adam. You can only manifest things instantly if you believe you can. Many people can’t believe it because they have been taught that they have to work hard to get what they want. So they end up working hard all of their lives and never seem to be able to break out of the pattern. Many people have been led to believe that no matter what they do in life, they can expect to experience disappointments and failure. They focus on negative thoughts instead of positive thoughts. Most of us are taught that failure is something that happens to everybody. But you can only fail if you believe you can fail. What people don’t understand is that they can change their entire life by changing their thoughts. The first step to learning to use RTP is learning to change the way you think.”

  She held out her arm and rubbed the area where the gash from her avalanche wound had been. There was no visible sign of a scar. The skin looked perfectly healed and smooth.

  “Take my arm, for example,” she said. “We have all been taught to believe it takes a long time for a wound to heal. And we have also been taught to believe a wound that is big enough to require stitches will cause a permanent scar. This will only happen if you believe it will happen. I don’t believe it. I choose to believe that wounds, no matter the severity, can heal quickly and that scars are not permanent. And by the nature of Refined Transcendent Power, that has been my experience.

  “You probably know the old saying: ‘You’re only as old as you feel.’ Well, I believe that is somewhat true. I don’t feel over 150 years old. So I changed the saying up just a little. I like to say: ‘You’re only as old as you believe you are.’ If you think about aging, you worry about aging, and you believe aging is inevitable, you will summon aging to you. Why would anyone want to do that? Because they do not believe it can be otherwise.

  “We have been taught and conditioned to think certain ways. Many people have limiting beliefs in their capacity to act and to create in this world. Suppose you believe that everyone cheats in relationships. That is what you will experience in your life. People are skeptical by nature and they’ve been taught to only believe in what they can see, or what they can physically touch, because that’s how it’s always been done, or that’s how it’s always been taught, or that’s what they have experienced in their lives so far. The hardest part, and at the same time simplest part, of learning to use RTP is learning to change your thinking. Ironically, that is the part that some can never get.

  “My teachers taught me to start with ‘little things,’ even though there is no difference in the process for manifesting ‘big things.’ There’s no difference in the process for manifesting one dollar or a million dollars. The only reason that it is sometimes easier for people to start with manifesting little things is because people think it is easier to manifest little things, like a penny. And they think it is harder to manifest big things, like a mansion. But in reality, there is no difference. If you can think it and truly believe you have received it, and you are truly grateful for it, you can manifest it.”

  Maddie paused for a moment. Adam supposed that it was to give him time to let it all sink in.

  “Are you telling me that I have to start monitoring all of my thoughts?” he said. “Now that’s a scary thought in itself. I must have several thousand thoughts a day. And many of them I would definitely not want to manifest. How can I manage all of those thoughts?”

  She said, “Don’t worry about it. Most people get overwhelmed when they first realize that what they are thinking is creating what they are experiencing in their life. We all have good and bad thoughts, positive and negative thoughts, and personal thoughts that we wouldn’t want anyone else to know about. And when people start to realize that their thoughts are forming their lives and that they are manifesting things, whether they are aware of it or not, it scares them. People believe it can be a daunting task to manage their thoughts, and then that becomes what they experience.

  “So you’ve got to get in touch with how you’re feeling. Feelings are how we gauge what we’re thinking. If you’re feeling good, you are having good thoughts. Likewise, if you’re feeling bad, or anxious, or angry, or sad, then you are having negative thoughts. When you find yourself feeling bad, try to think about positive thoughts or things that make you happy. Try to get back on the positive thought wavelength. I was taught that a positive thought is hundreds of times more powerful than a negative thought. That is a comforting concept I like to keep in mind. Only persistent, negative thinking can manifest the bad, unwanted things in your life. By monitoring your thoughts and turning negative thoughts to positive thoughts, you can stay on track.

  “Paul uses negative thoughts for his evil purposes. He uses RTP in a way it was never intended. And he has become quite adept at it.”

  Adam said, “Isn’t there some way you can use RTP to stop what Paul is doing?”

  Maddie stared out the windshield and sighed as she said, “I wish there was a way. You see, we can’t control other people’s thoughts. Nobody can manifest things for you. And likewise, you cannot manifest for another. If I was psychic and I knew in advance what Paul was going to do, I could protect myself from it. But I can’t stop him from trying to harm me.

  “No one else can determine your path. We’re the masters of our thoughts only. Sometimes other people’s thoughts can cause unforeseen things to happen to us—like the avalanche or the fire. These things were not a result of our thoughts, but they intersect with our lives nonetheless.”

  She turned to look at him again and continued, “You know, I believe you are already good at using RTP to get what you want and you don’t even know it.”

  Surprised, Adam said, “Really? What makes you think that?”

  “Well,” she continued, “you have a successful career. You are currently in the process of living out your dream of being a rock star. You have lots of friends, a nice place to live, and a nice truck. In general you are a positive person. You set goals and reach them. I’ve often wondered if you summoned me into your life or if it was the other way around. Maybe you summoned the package to my mailbox, or maybe we summoned each other subconsciously. You certainly summoned me back into your life even as I tried my best to disappear.”

  Intrigued, Adam said, “You mean you don’t know if you summoned me into your life? Does that mean that, even after all these years, you don’t have complete control over your thoughts?”

  “Nobody ever gains complete control of their thoughts, Adam. I still think negative thoughts, just like everybody else. I still manifest and summon people, thi
ngs, and events into my life inadvertently. I’m far better at controlling my thoughts than most people are, but it still happens occasionally. Our subconscious minds can be very powerful.

  “I’m afraid Paul has learned to channel RTP and summon events and occurrences to happen to other people from afar, which would explain how he caused the fire in the nightclub and the avalanche. I don’t know if he knows where I am or not. I suppose he could have had his cronies watching my every move and causing the events to occur. But somehow I don’t think they have found me again yet. If they knew where I was, they would’ve tried to capture me by now. But hiding underground has always been my sanctuary. If he can inflict that much damage upon my life without even knowing where I am, then living in hiding may not even be safe anymore. That is one thought I am trying to put out of my mind. That’s why I have never voiced this concern to anyone but you. And I am only telling you because now that we are together, it affects you too. I am holding firm to the belief that Paul does not know about you yet. Maybe that will provide you with some form of protection.”

  For the rest of the drive, Maddie continued her teachings about Refined Transcendent Power. She told Adam success story after success story, and he started to actually believe he could do it. He still couldn’t believe it was that simple. There had to be more to it than what she was telling. But then he would catch himself thinking negatively and tell himself that he could do it. He tried to convince himself he was stronger and more determined than the people who had failed at it before him. He surmised that they were probably weak-minded or weak in their faith. He was determined to master RTP. If that was what it would take to stay with Maddie for the rest of his life, and protect them both, that is what he would do.

  Chapter 32

  When Maddie and Adam arrived at their destination, Adam parked the truck in a small gravel lot near a trail that led into the woods. It was an unusually warm day for the time of year, and the brilliant sun made everything seem more beautiful and vibrant. He gathered the fishing gear and cooler out of the back of the truck and motioned for Maddie to follow him. As they walked, he told her funny stories about the times his family had come to that exact location when he was a kid.

  Adam was a little worried about the short hike that was ahead of them because he still had the walking cast on, although he didn’t mention his worry to Maddie. He had learned to maneuver fairly well in the cast and most of the time he didn’t even notice it anymore. But he had only covered relatively short distances with it on. He couldn’t remember exactly how far it was to the location, but he knew it was at least a quarter of a mile or more. Still, he was fairly confident he could make it.

  He estimated that he and Maddie had walked about a half mile on the path when he started to wonder if they were going in the right direction. He had been confident he could remember the way to his family’s favorite fishing spot, but it had been so many years since he had been there that he was now starting to second-guess himself. The trail seemed both familiar and unfamiliar at the same time. He hoped he wasn’t getting them lost.

  Just when he was about to suggest that they had missed a turn and should turn around, they rounded a bend and the trail opened up to a clearing. Adam could see the riverbank glistening in the sun just beyond the grassy area. It looked exactly as he had remembered it from his childhood. He was relieved that he had found the right spot after all. It brought back so many memories. He froze in place and took in the view while he remembered his past.

  Maddie interrupted his moment of nostalgia when she said, “Adam, this is beautiful!”

  She walked past him into the grassy area, stretched out her arms, and spun around slowly.

  Watching her there in the nature setting with the sun illuminating her blond hair and causing a slight flush to her face, he had to agree with her.

  “Yes it is beautiful,” he murmured softly as her eyes met his and she smiled at him.

  He knew then that it was going to be an awesome day. He laid a blanket down in the grass about ten feet away from the riverbank and proceeded to set up the fishing poles and cast them into the water while Maddie watched with interest. He was careful not to get too close to the water and get his cast wet.

  Maddie said, “I can’t remember the last time I went fishing. It has been so long.”

  “I can’t either,” he admitted.

  They sat on the blanket near the bank of the river while they watched the fishing poles and waited for bites. Adam opened the cooler and took out the special bottle of wine he had packed. It was the same brand Maddie had brought to their first date. She smiled in appreciation. He poured the wine into two plastic cups, and they sipped while they chatted about random things. It was very peaceful and relaxing.

  The fishing was slow. They got a few small bites here and there but nothing really to speak of. After about a half hour of catching nothing, Maddie said, “Do you want to see how I was taught to fish?”

  This amused Adam for some reason. He wondered just how many ways there could be to catch a fish. He was curious to see what she was going to do.

  “Sure,” he said. “This should be interesting.”

  She stood up and nudged him playfully as she said, “Watch and learn.” She then proceeded to strip down to her bra and panties.

  Adam’s eyes widened. She grinned at him slyly like the Cheshire Cat.

  She had his full attention now. Yes, this was going to be very interesting.

  As she walked toward the water she said, “Remember, you didn’t tell me what we were doing today, so I didn’t dress appropriately. I don’t want to get my clothes wet.”

  Adam said, “I like your method of fishing already.”

  Still grinning, she proceeded to walk into the water, about mid-thigh deep, without any hesitation. This surprised him because he knew that, even though it was a sunny day, the water was still very cold this time of year.

  He said, “Isn’t the water a bit too cold for swimming?”

  She laughed and said, “It’s only too cold if you think it is. I think the water is very warm today.”

  He noticed she wasn’t shivering or showing any signs of being cold. He was amazed.

  She said, “Tell me what would be considered a prize fish in this area.”

  He thought for a moment and said, “Well, a six-pound bass would be considered a very nice prize fish in these waters.”

  She nodded, leaned over, put her hands into the water, and said, “I’m thinking of a prize fish, a six-pound bass or bigger.”

  She stood very still for a few moments, and then Adam saw a big splash in the water. Her hands move quickly and grasped onto something. To his astonishment, she lifted a huge bass out of the water and held it over her head triumphantly.

  He didn’t know why it amazed him so much because he knew she could do these things, but he still hadn’t gotten used to it. He guessed he might never get used to it. He felt like a young boy watching a magic show unfold right in front of him. She was a master magician, and he was her captive audience.

  Adam suddenly became aware that his mouth was gaping open and closed it. He jumped to his feet and almost shouted, “Holy shit! I think that’s the biggest bass I’ve ever seen.”

  Maddie beamed.

  Adam walked to the edge of the riverbank to get a closer look at the fish. He was already mentally calculating how he was going to fit it in the cooler, along with everything else, so he could show it off to the guys. They would never believe it. He reached for his cell phone so he could snap a picture for proof. But before he could get the shot, she was already lowering the fish back into the water.

  He shouted, “No!” and almost ran into the water to stop her, but stopped short when he remembered that the walking cast was still on his leg. Before he could say or do anything else, she had already released the fish.

  “Why did you do that?” Adam whined disap
pointedly.

  “Because he is a very old fish, and we’re probably not going to eat him.”

  Still a little miffed, he said, “Well, somebody we know would have eaten it. I wanted to show it off to the guys. They will never believe me now.”

  She tilted her head ever so slightly and raised one eyebrow, like a mother who was about to scold a child, and said, “And just exactly what were you going to tell them? That I caught it with my bare hands? Like they would really believe that.”

  She had a point, but he wouldn’t admit it. He countered, “I could’ve told them we caught it the normal way. You know…with a fishing pole.”

  She shook her head. “I don’t believe in fishing for sport and killing the fish if we’re not planning to eat them. I was taught to fish for food and survival. Otherwise, I catch and release.”

  She washed her hands and began walking toward the shore. Adam watched her walk toward him with the sun shining on her hair and the water dripping off her scantily clad body. She looked so sexy walking out of the water like that. In that moment his annoyance with her vanished.

  He met her at the water’s edge, pulled her close to him, and said, “Well I do have to admit that was the sexiest fishing I’ve ever seen. You can fish like that in front of me anytime.”

  She smiled as she wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him. They stood like that, kissing and caressing each other for several minutes, before he led her to the blanket. They made love there in the grassy clearing with only Mother Nature as a witness.

  Afterward, they lay on their backs in the sun, dozing and just enjoying being together. After a while, they got dressed and had a picnic lunch of cold cuts, cheese, grapes, and other snacks Adam had thrown into the cooler.

  He was still thinking about watching Maddie catch the fish in her underwear when he said, “So when do my private lessons on how to use RTP start? I think I’m ready to learn.”

  She considered it for a moment and said, “How about now?”