the Pavlovian time machine and the mystic merchant

I hear the bell and instantly reach for my wallet. He got me—I’m hooked.

We’re in week two of this project, and the work has been moving fast. Somewhere along the way, I also picked up a new habit: afternoon ice cream.

It starts with the faint sound of bells in the distance.

No yelling. No loudspeakers like the ice cream trucks of my youth.

Nope, just a man, a bike, a box, and those bells. And without hesitation, I hand over my money.

At first glance, the photo of him might look simple.

But let’s complicate it.

Conditioned response

In just ten days, this man has conditioned me into a daily purchase.

The second the cold hits my tongue, I’m transported back to Rio. The beaches of Ipanema come alive—the sounds, the smells, the warmth, the joy.

In that instant, I relive the past.

So I ask myself: is this man a mystic?

Is ice cream hallucinogenic?

If the past only exists in our minds, how do I explain the vividness of these memories?

Each flavor seems to unlock a different door—one that I forgot even existed.

Disney’s Inside Out hinted at it: maybe memories live deep inside us, waiting for a stimulus to set them free.

The other side of memory

The happy memories are fun to revisit. But what about the painful ones?

They, too, live in that labyrinth, waiting patiently for their trigger. A song, a smell, a sound, a bite of something sweet—and suddenly, you’re back in a place you thought you’d left behind.

I’ll admit—I overthink things.

My appetite for knowledge is insatiable. Over time, I’ve worked to equip myself with tools to face my demons, to build resilience, to keep moving forward. I have delved into psychology and various religions, through it all, I found my North, TBOJC.

The takeaway

It’s okay to feel the past. Just don’t live there.

Each of us navigates a labyrinth every day.

Peace is found in the now, peace is found within.

The future isn’t here yet, the past is a mixed bag, and the clock is ticking.

If you want change, make it.

No one is coming to save you.

I told you I’d complicate ice cream.