Wow! I’m older and have been looking back on my life and wondering why I didn’t know aspects of my life that seem so obvious to me now but I didn’t know about them when I could have acted upon them.
And is there anything I’ll know in 20 years that I do not know now?
Jane, thank you for reading and leaving such a thoughtful reflection. I really appreciate it :)
"Is there anything I’ll know in 20 years that I do not know now?" I think about this all the time. The answer has to be: a lot.
I even think of what I know now that I didn't a year ago -- embarrassingly very much. Yet, as I have a tendency to get trapped in existential tail spins, I try to come back to being present, doing my best, and taking things day by day (as corny as it sounds).
Hey Jane! Are you talking “regrets”? Or reflecting on the passage of life? In 20 years will we be wiser? Or just have more “life experience”? Happier, or just more resilient? Wow - a lot of question marks lol. I hope you have a great day today!
I loved absolutely everything about this week’s post!!! First of all, love the Noah Kahan reference in “idea from me”, I was also at that concert last night and it was SO good! He is such an amazing artist and such an adorable human. His writing reminds me of yours in a way as you both perfectly touch on how it feels to be a young adult right now and describe the highs and pitfalls so wonderfully. The concept of ‘are we in control?’ is so interesting and is a great way to think about life in the way of letting go of the idea that every decision you make is going to drastically effect the trajectory of your life. Letting go of the need for control can help us live in the moment better. Bringing us back to the Noah Kahan topic and tying in that concept of control and living in the moment, it’s funny how I always find that I almost try to force myself to be present during things like concerts. As I was standing there listening to him and the crowd sing some of my favourite songs, and being in a moment that felt so surreal, I wanted to make sure that I fully captured it and experienced it properly. I guess I am still learning, but maybe this thought of ‘we are not as in control as we may think we are’ can help make being present easier.
As for the Nietzsche question, I love the idea of forgetting to “live each moment as if it were your last”. I totally agree that we should be spending our lives doing things that we would choose over and over again if we had to. Things that we can look back on and say whole heartedly that we would do it again. Although, I do understand the importance of appreciating each moment as if you would never get that moment back again. It is a thought presented in the movie “About Time”, where the main character is able to time travel back to previous moments in his life. In the end of the movie (spoiler alert … kind of?) he says “I just try to live every day as if I've deliberately come back to this one day, to enjoy it, as if it was the full final day of my extraordinary, ordinary life”. There’s just something so beautiful about that quote that I love.
Also, a house with floor to ceiling windows and a wall of books is also a dream of mine. Sounds like heaven to me! With the addition of some pets and a fire place!
Rachel, thank you so much for reading and leaving such a beautiful reflection. Reading this literally brought a smile to my face.
Crazy you were at the concert too! I thought it was awesome -- maybe the best concert I've been to? I enjoyed the little monologues between songs a lot more than expected. Especially his experience with therapy (and big fan of self-depreciating humor haha).
I love how you tied the idea of fate to being present. One thing I've recently discovered is how so many of the complex thoughts I get tangled up in all lead to the same simple truth of just being present (although putting it into practice is a different matter).
Presence is tough. Exactly the same as you, I had a mental loop in the background of "enjoy this, it's gonna be over soon, wow, this is so cool" but frustratingly that somewhat takes me out of the moment. I'm also pretty torn on whether or not moments like those should be captured on camera or simply left to experience in entirety.
I love that quote from “About Time”. I'll have to give it a watch. I agree that experiencing moments in full knowledge of their transience is super valuable. One of my favourite blog posts of all time is about measuring time in the number of times you'll get to experience that thing again and the conclusions are startling (e.g. by age 20, you've spent like 90% of the time you'll get with your parents).
Does sound like heaven! I'm currently team fireplace > tv but we shall see.
Things that fall into place beautifully are the best kinds. And I actively try to increase my surface area of "luck" so that more things have the opportunity to "fall into place".
Coincidentally, I'm also working with Alex on a piece that involves a few things "falling into place" at the right time ;) so excited to see what you've got cooking up on your end!
Becky! I get more excited than i'd like to admit every time i get to hear your thoughts :)
I love the idea on luck surface area. In my mind, correlated with saying "yes" to a lot of things in your 20s (but then narrowing / saying "no" more as you go).
I'm sure that will be an incredible piece. Happy some things are falling into place for you. Can't wait to give it a read!
- We can still live a pre-determined life, but our ignorance of its directions leaves us with the choice. God decided everything, yet, I still make the decisions I made and I'm making, and will be making.. At least this is how I understand it..
- My wife is the stranger I met on hiking trail and yelled to her: "It's more beautiful down here!" more than 10 years ago.. If she didn't miss her bus, and if I didn't extend my stay in my vacation for a day, we wouldn't have met.. Hah! This in itself, proves to me that "I'm not in control" no matter how hard I tried..
Abdulrahman, always such an insightful and beautiful reflection. Thank you for reading and leaving your thoughts :)
I think you've arrived at a similar conclusion to Tolkien on choice vs. fate (maybe he copied you?) We retain freedom to choose, always, yet much is fate.
I love the story of how you met your wife. It's crazy how it's always these chance, small events. Terrifying to even think of life playing out differently, of not making that comment, and how close your fate was to diverging on a different road. And therefore so gratifying that it played out the way it did.
I’m currently reading Oliver’s Devotions. I love her poems. Can’t wait to see how your writings change with a coach. They are already pretty fantastic.
Ahhh Devotions is so good. The first real poetry I found that really hit me in the heart, stopped me dead in my tracks. I found reading Devotions (or any poetry) before bed to be a nice habit to relax and settle down.
And thank you for the kind words :) lots to grow still but so happy you've been enjoying my work and sticking with me
Wow! I’m older and have been looking back on my life and wondering why I didn’t know aspects of my life that seem so obvious to me now but I didn’t know about them when I could have acted upon them.
And is there anything I’ll know in 20 years that I do not know now?
Jane, thank you for reading and leaving such a thoughtful reflection. I really appreciate it :)
"Is there anything I’ll know in 20 years that I do not know now?" I think about this all the time. The answer has to be: a lot.
I even think of what I know now that I didn't a year ago -- embarrassingly very much. Yet, as I have a tendency to get trapped in existential tail spins, I try to come back to being present, doing my best, and taking things day by day (as corny as it sounds).
I appreciate you being here :)
Hey Jane! Are you talking “regrets”? Or reflecting on the passage of life? In 20 years will we be wiser? Or just have more “life experience”? Happier, or just more resilient? Wow - a lot of question marks lol. I hope you have a great day today!
I loved absolutely everything about this week’s post!!! First of all, love the Noah Kahan reference in “idea from me”, I was also at that concert last night and it was SO good! He is such an amazing artist and such an adorable human. His writing reminds me of yours in a way as you both perfectly touch on how it feels to be a young adult right now and describe the highs and pitfalls so wonderfully. The concept of ‘are we in control?’ is so interesting and is a great way to think about life in the way of letting go of the idea that every decision you make is going to drastically effect the trajectory of your life. Letting go of the need for control can help us live in the moment better. Bringing us back to the Noah Kahan topic and tying in that concept of control and living in the moment, it’s funny how I always find that I almost try to force myself to be present during things like concerts. As I was standing there listening to him and the crowd sing some of my favourite songs, and being in a moment that felt so surreal, I wanted to make sure that I fully captured it and experienced it properly. I guess I am still learning, but maybe this thought of ‘we are not as in control as we may think we are’ can help make being present easier.
As for the Nietzsche question, I love the idea of forgetting to “live each moment as if it were your last”. I totally agree that we should be spending our lives doing things that we would choose over and over again if we had to. Things that we can look back on and say whole heartedly that we would do it again. Although, I do understand the importance of appreciating each moment as if you would never get that moment back again. It is a thought presented in the movie “About Time”, where the main character is able to time travel back to previous moments in his life. In the end of the movie (spoiler alert … kind of?) he says “I just try to live every day as if I've deliberately come back to this one day, to enjoy it, as if it was the full final day of my extraordinary, ordinary life”. There’s just something so beautiful about that quote that I love.
Also, a house with floor to ceiling windows and a wall of books is also a dream of mine. Sounds like heaven to me! With the addition of some pets and a fire place!
Rachel, thank you so much for reading and leaving such a beautiful reflection. Reading this literally brought a smile to my face.
Crazy you were at the concert too! I thought it was awesome -- maybe the best concert I've been to? I enjoyed the little monologues between songs a lot more than expected. Especially his experience with therapy (and big fan of self-depreciating humor haha).
I love how you tied the idea of fate to being present. One thing I've recently discovered is how so many of the complex thoughts I get tangled up in all lead to the same simple truth of just being present (although putting it into practice is a different matter).
Presence is tough. Exactly the same as you, I had a mental loop in the background of "enjoy this, it's gonna be over soon, wow, this is so cool" but frustratingly that somewhat takes me out of the moment. I'm also pretty torn on whether or not moments like those should be captured on camera or simply left to experience in entirety.
I love that quote from “About Time”. I'll have to give it a watch. I agree that experiencing moments in full knowledge of their transience is super valuable. One of my favourite blog posts of all time is about measuring time in the number of times you'll get to experience that thing again and the conclusions are startling (e.g. by age 20, you've spent like 90% of the time you'll get with your parents).
Does sound like heaven! I'm currently team fireplace > tv but we shall see.
Thanks again and hope you have an awesome week!
Things that fall into place beautifully are the best kinds. And I actively try to increase my surface area of "luck" so that more things have the opportunity to "fall into place".
Coincidentally, I'm also working with Alex on a piece that involves a few things "falling into place" at the right time ;) so excited to see what you've got cooking up on your end!
Becky! I get more excited than i'd like to admit every time i get to hear your thoughts :)
I love the idea on luck surface area. In my mind, correlated with saying "yes" to a lot of things in your 20s (but then narrowing / saying "no" more as you go).
I'm sure that will be an incredible piece. Happy some things are falling into place for you. Can't wait to give it a read!
Two things:
- We can still live a pre-determined life, but our ignorance of its directions leaves us with the choice. God decided everything, yet, I still make the decisions I made and I'm making, and will be making.. At least this is how I understand it..
- My wife is the stranger I met on hiking trail and yelled to her: "It's more beautiful down here!" more than 10 years ago.. If she didn't miss her bus, and if I didn't extend my stay in my vacation for a day, we wouldn't have met.. Hah! This in itself, proves to me that "I'm not in control" no matter how hard I tried..
Hope you enjoyed your weekend.
Abdulrahman, always such an insightful and beautiful reflection. Thank you for reading and leaving your thoughts :)
I think you've arrived at a similar conclusion to Tolkien on choice vs. fate (maybe he copied you?) We retain freedom to choose, always, yet much is fate.
I love the story of how you met your wife. It's crazy how it's always these chance, small events. Terrifying to even think of life playing out differently, of not making that comment, and how close your fate was to diverging on a different road. And therefore so gratifying that it played out the way it did.
Hope you enjoyed your weekend as well!
I’m currently reading Oliver’s Devotions. I love her poems. Can’t wait to see how your writings change with a coach. They are already pretty fantastic.
Ahhh Devotions is so good. The first real poetry I found that really hit me in the heart, stopped me dead in my tracks. I found reading Devotions (or any poetry) before bed to be a nice habit to relax and settle down.
And thank you for the kind words :) lots to grow still but so happy you've been enjoying my work and sticking with me