Wednesday, August 18, 2004
One-of-a-Kinds
Usually, when I'm in a disagreement with someone about a past event, and I'm just positive that I'm right and the other person is remembering it wrong, I'll say, "When you get to heaven, you ask God to rewind the video tape of life back, so that you can watch that moment." I still say this, even though I can't be positive there is a heaven or God. And I still say this, even though God's probably upgraded to DVD by now.
But what would be really interesting is if we could have a reunion for this little event. Gather everyone who was there in the same place -- the same place where it occurred -- maybe five years down the line. Maybe ten. Because that's all that holds it together after a while, isn't it? If it weren't for the tracking of years, everything would just wind out like a stretched out slinky. After a while it would all run together.
Better yet, gather together everyone from every one of those days. Every August 18th of your life, for example. Maybe some of these "gathered days" would be pretty boring, filled with few people, no interesting places, and no memories, other than the growth from one year to the next. People would get together and discuss all that they can't remember. And then there would be other days, where so much seemed to happen, year-to-year. And someone would say something you had completely forgotten, and you'd remember how old you are. And then you -- you would say something they had never thought of before. Even though they were there.
But what would be really interesting is if we could have a reunion for this little event. Gather everyone who was there in the same place -- the same place where it occurred -- maybe five years down the line. Maybe ten. Because that's all that holds it together after a while, isn't it? If it weren't for the tracking of years, everything would just wind out like a stretched out slinky. After a while it would all run together.
Better yet, gather together everyone from every one of those days. Every August 18th of your life, for example. Maybe some of these "gathered days" would be pretty boring, filled with few people, no interesting places, and no memories, other than the growth from one year to the next. People would get together and discuss all that they can't remember. And then there would be other days, where so much seemed to happen, year-to-year. And someone would say something you had completely forgotten, and you'd remember how old you are. And then you -- you would say something they had never thought of before. Even though they were there.
