What Time Can Tell
In today's world of postmodernism, we have learned to question everything that we believe in and those we were made to accept as facts of life. Time, for instance, is one of the favorite concepts we dare scrutinize. Sci-fi movies, i believe, are almost 100% about what we can become in the future, otherwise, it will talk about changing something in the past; Hiro Nakamura is such an endearing character not because he's naive at the start, but because his power is everyone's fantasy, enough to make him one of the main focus of Heroes' plot. Einstein's Dreams, however serious in tackling the theories of Time, answering what-ifs, ingenuously put its realization in Einstein's own love life.
The big question is that why something conceptual--so intangible--can be one of mankind's deepest obssessions? second to God as a concept, i think. But i'm not even talking about Time as in Forever--omnipresent like God; not even the medieval alchemist's notion of immortality. I'm just talking about how our realities are defined by time. Our lifespan, our aspirations, birthdays, income tax returns, medications, opening/closing of the coffeeshop, graduations.. even meeting anyone is called a date. Why are we so encapsulated by how time passes?
Two years. Endless possibilities. But what difference does it make from one second? one day? that, too, create infinite possibilities. Is it because of the things we can look back in two years? But if you take that one second and extend that, and look back two years (and one second less) before? It should be just the same. It may not be the same experiences; it may have different meanings in our lives. But haven't we watched too many sci-fi movies already to learn that nothing in the past is dispensible? that one second taken away from it would make us a totally different person? So, two years should just be as valuable as one second of what transpired in our lives. So what makes time special?
For me, it's not the things that we can look back to that makes Time worth celebrating. We can always celebrate our memories; Reminiscin' is a kind of celebration, and it comes for free--anytime, anywhere. For me, what makes two years special is not the person you met two years ago; it's not what you've learned in that span of time; not even because of the person you have become today. For me, time is worth celebrating because of an answered prayer--that the person you met two years ago, is still with you today, two years after. That it's okay if last night, you dreamt that you were separated to that person, because now, you can still call it a bad dream. I celebrate because I've been waking up for two years now, knowing that his presence is still here. I am happy because I can still hear his voice, see him, touch him, anytime that I want to. I celebrate not the things I've had with this person, but the things I still have with him.
Time is worth celebrating because time has not passed.. it has not made you move on yet. It has allowed you to have a sense of permanence in life. It does not matter for how long, but it matters that it is still there. It means that our fear of losing someone did not come, at least for the time being. Now, I am happy.
Happy 2nd anniversary, poi.
The big question is that why something conceptual--so intangible--can be one of mankind's deepest obssessions? second to God as a concept, i think. But i'm not even talking about Time as in Forever--omnipresent like God; not even the medieval alchemist's notion of immortality. I'm just talking about how our realities are defined by time. Our lifespan, our aspirations, birthdays, income tax returns, medications, opening/closing of the coffeeshop, graduations.. even meeting anyone is called a date. Why are we so encapsulated by how time passes?
Two years. Endless possibilities. But what difference does it make from one second? one day? that, too, create infinite possibilities. Is it because of the things we can look back in two years? But if you take that one second and extend that, and look back two years (and one second less) before? It should be just the same. It may not be the same experiences; it may have different meanings in our lives. But haven't we watched too many sci-fi movies already to learn that nothing in the past is dispensible? that one second taken away from it would make us a totally different person? So, two years should just be as valuable as one second of what transpired in our lives. So what makes time special?
For me, it's not the things that we can look back to that makes Time worth celebrating. We can always celebrate our memories; Reminiscin' is a kind of celebration, and it comes for free--anytime, anywhere. For me, what makes two years special is not the person you met two years ago; it's not what you've learned in that span of time; not even because of the person you have become today. For me, time is worth celebrating because of an answered prayer--that the person you met two years ago, is still with you today, two years after. That it's okay if last night, you dreamt that you were separated to that person, because now, you can still call it a bad dream. I celebrate because I've been waking up for two years now, knowing that his presence is still here. I am happy because I can still hear his voice, see him, touch him, anytime that I want to. I celebrate not the things I've had with this person, but the things I still have with him.
Time is worth celebrating because time has not passed.. it has not made you move on yet. It has allowed you to have a sense of permanence in life. It does not matter for how long, but it matters that it is still there. It means that our fear of losing someone did not come, at least for the time being. Now, I am happy.
Happy 2nd anniversary, poi.