Refrain

Some philosophers say that the notion that past, present, & future happen in a linear sequence is an idea of the human mind. And then, there is the illusion of repetition. I sometimes say that I do something “again”. Whenever I say this, I am not aware that the only moment I can perform an action is NOW. “Now” is the only moment within my reach. If I listen to life as a song, I could say that there are refrains, reccurring stanzas that remind me of some things.

Let me then say that I just finished reading a novel for the second time, and it represented to me a time warp of sorts. The author wrote the book in the 70s, and the first time I read it, computers were still sitting on desk tops with screens that resembled aquariums voluminous enough to house a family of goldfish. I remember I liked the book at the time, back in those days. I lived in southern Germany and was about to start working for one of the first companies that promoted regional food production to save energy. The title of the book hints to the perspective of the author that the story he tells is pure invention. And yes, the setting and a lot of details seemed fantastic. Who had heard of a phone that displayed a video of the person you were talking to in those days? From today’s perspective, I was tempted to smile a little when I read that part. On the other hand, if I had a say, I would put this book on the reading list of all American high schools. The story inspires reflection on our lifestyle, on our values, and on what we are up to in life. And it addresses an issue that has become urgent: how do we live on this planet without completing the work of destruction our race has launched a little more than a century ago? The part I liked while I read the book this time is that the story is told from the perspective of a traveler. In the 80s, I liked to listen and talk to those people who swept into my village from time to time. From today’s point of view, I feel compassion and complicity for the main character, who goes through an experience of acculturation.