Sunday Scribbling #29 Oct. 15, 2006
1. What would you do if you could freeze time?
2. What super power would you pull out of the grab bag?
If my muse gave me the "power" to freeze time, I would be very frightened. "Please," I would say, "take this power and return it to Pandora's box from where it came."
Pondering the ways in which one may use this power, I came to the realization that to freeze time would be a catastrophe. Neither I nor anyone could use this awesome power without, even inadvertently, causing pain and suffering for someone, somewhere in the world.
At best, "time" is a nebulous concept. I choose to accept time as a gift. We are given time to experience life in this plain. It's our choice to waste some or all of it, or to use it to observe the ebb and flow of life and death, the seasons, day and night, dawn and dusk, each and all wonderments unto themselves.
But if I were to use the power to freeze time, I would usurp this gift from every individual depriving them of their right to choose.
The fact that many things occur yearly or only once in a lifetime is what makes them special. If I decide to make one of those special occsions the freezing point; Let's say, Christmas. Then everyday would be Christmas and become mundane and no longer special. There would be no other days to compare it to, and the sameness would become intolerably boring.
Perhaps at the moment I decide to stop time there is a sad painful tragedy happening somewhere in the world. (I know, what are the chances?) Although unintentional,--- I just wanted to enjoy my son's wedding a little longer,--- I would have extended someones pain and suffering longer than necessary.
The fleetingness of moments is what makes them special. At 61, I wouldn't give up any second lived to date...to have suspended time at any point along the continuum would have cost me a loss of some other moment.
I love each season, but autumn is my favorite and I think because it is so fleeting. One should not delay an opportunity to let their senses drink in the beauty of autumn's vivid curtain call. The next rain, the next gust of wind and autumn is replaced by the next miracle season...earth's cleanser, winter.
No thank you, no suspender of time am I. Rather, a savorer of each moment and episode of life I encounter. The only place to freeze time is in our memories, and even there they alter with "time."
Accepting my apology and explanation for refusing his offered gift of time alteration, My muse offers the choice of any power in his grab bag. I choose the magicians wand. I will use it to abate anger, hatred, avarice, revenge, greed and power mongering. In their place instilling kindness, understanding, compromise and the deep desire for peace and equality for all of mankind.
1. What would you do if you could freeze time?
2. What super power would you pull out of the grab bag?
If my muse gave me the "power" to freeze time, I would be very frightened. "Please," I would say, "take this power and return it to Pandora's box from where it came."
Pondering the ways in which one may use this power, I came to the realization that to freeze time would be a catastrophe. Neither I nor anyone could use this awesome power without, even inadvertently, causing pain and suffering for someone, somewhere in the world.
At best, "time" is a nebulous concept. I choose to accept time as a gift. We are given time to experience life in this plain. It's our choice to waste some or all of it, or to use it to observe the ebb and flow of life and death, the seasons, day and night, dawn and dusk, each and all wonderments unto themselves.
But if I were to use the power to freeze time, I would usurp this gift from every individual depriving them of their right to choose.
The fact that many things occur yearly or only once in a lifetime is what makes them special. If I decide to make one of those special occsions the freezing point; Let's say, Christmas. Then everyday would be Christmas and become mundane and no longer special. There would be no other days to compare it to, and the sameness would become intolerably boring.
Perhaps at the moment I decide to stop time there is a sad painful tragedy happening somewhere in the world. (I know, what are the chances?) Although unintentional,--- I just wanted to enjoy my son's wedding a little longer,--- I would have extended someones pain and suffering longer than necessary.
The fleetingness of moments is what makes them special. At 61, I wouldn't give up any second lived to date...to have suspended time at any point along the continuum would have cost me a loss of some other moment.
I love each season, but autumn is my favorite and I think because it is so fleeting. One should not delay an opportunity to let their senses drink in the beauty of autumn's vivid curtain call. The next rain, the next gust of wind and autumn is replaced by the next miracle season...earth's cleanser, winter.
No thank you, no suspender of time am I. Rather, a savorer of each moment and episode of life I encounter. The only place to freeze time is in our memories, and even there they alter with "time."
Accepting my apology and explanation for refusing his offered gift of time alteration, My muse offers the choice of any power in his grab bag. I choose the magicians wand. I will use it to abate anger, hatred, avarice, revenge, greed and power mongering. In their place instilling kindness, understanding, compromise and the deep desire for peace and equality for all of mankind.
posted by rel at 10:11 PM
17 Comments:
You always make me think...I had never really thought of it, being able to stop time. After reading your reasons why you wouldn't want to, I know that I wouldn't want to either. Just the thought of prolonging someone elses sorrow saddens me no end. There's a reason they say live life to the fullest...every minute, hour, day, etc, goes by so fast and it's time we're using up in our lives...make the best of it and don't waste a minute!
I agree with every word you've written Rel. It is the fleetingness of special times that makes them precious and memorable, the same goes for even mundane things like seasonal foods, if you can get strawberries all round the year it takes away the delight and magical taste of 'the first strawberries of summer'. But most important is that the freezing of one's own marvellous moment prolongs someone else's grief or pain. Your magic wand from 'the grab bag'is a wonderful idea too - what a truly nice man you are.
Very well said.
The same principle applies to turning back time. I had a recent conversation with someone about this, who was astonished when I said that I wouldn't want to go back and live my life over again, knowing what mistakes to avoid. Something good came out of each of those mistakes, and I'm a better person for having made them. And, to go back to your point, turning back time would mean everyone reliving the past, including times of severe adversity and pain. No thank you, not for my own sake or that of the human race in general.
But I most definitely like your choice of muse for changing the present and future for all of mankind. You're a good man, rel. :)
Rel, what a wonderfully profound piece of writing and how thought provoking. Thank you for showing us what would happen if we could freeze time, for making us think of consequences to others.
Thank you for being you, Rel, a really caring person.
Hugs
Robyn
You've really got me thinking. I love the whole message of this post.
very wise, my friend, very wise... hope you're enjoying your sunday x
That is really very wise - well put.
With your post, you have made me look at this theme from a very different angle. It's so true that with the stoppage of time, we may be causing pain for another. Very wise words.
Rel
While it would be easy for me to agree with your written word and I do find them wise words you have put into this post. I will choose to take another view on this great ponder.
As there is no mention of the length of time we could freeze time or infact how many times we may take the opportunity to do so I would add all these "rules" to my powers.
Then I would have to ask why I infact was the one given this power and what if anything would be expected of me. in return :o)
then If time was of no essence then I would wait! holding the power within me until I felt it was important to use. I will add I may never find the right moment or in my lifetime it may never be used but handed to the next person to keep for the time when "freezing time" for just a moment or a day was needed. That is what I would do. Being given a power such as this is not such a bad thing it is how we use it if at all that is infact the power not the using of it.
Once you placed it back into Pandora's box then those things we wish for or dream about may infact be the very things that become "frozen in time"
This is a great subject and I thank you for letting me tell you a little about myself in telling you what I would do with this "power" and that is what I feel this post is all about.
have yourself a truly wonderful day! my friend.
Use the magicians wand wisely for if the world was filled with all good there would be no reason to strive to better ourselves or help those we care about and that infact is "freezing time"
Lee-ann
What an unusual take on the prompt. It absolutely makes sense. Shoot, there might even be someone who is just itching to leave the wedding for whatever reason who is then unable to...the caterers for sure would hate it!
Well put. We live in and understand the world through time, to be able to freeze it would take away something vital of our experience of life.
I enjoyed the thread you find here..tugging til it is tight. Time is that thread woven into each of us..stitching us together. We are not even the pattern makers, not even the seamstresses or tailors. Never the designers, for God sake. We are only the cloth.
I loved this post.
Thank you.
Fabulous post. So thought provoking and wise. Thank you.
j
You chose such an unselfish power. I would have probably been all lame and chosen something like being able to trasnsport myself anywhere I wanted to go - embarrassingly self-serving.
I felt very much the same as you at the idea of having the power to stop time, but you managed to put your response so much better than I did! Thank you
Excellant post Rel! and you did a marvelous job with it!!! I would not freeze time either....we take everyday as it comes and it most certainly is a gift from God.
Any power??? I would use the power to erase all the sickness and pain in this world and we would all die from old age...hopefully around 99. lol
I don't know what I'd choose as a power if told to but I like your take on it. Everything a person could do would effect someone else...
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