I wish I could spend one month…
You’re probably thinking I’m a bit off but I doubt I’m alone. I’d love to travel back in time, to the beginning - you know - Genesis 1:1, and spend an entire month in various “time periods” throughout the existence of man up until our day.
Sure I could just get a Library card but how much more fun would it be to actually live, survive, suffer, or thrive in a time period rather than just read about it?
I used to say to people, on occasion, that I wished I lived before the technological boom. Before all of these distractions. And that may sound odd coming from someone who makes a living using these technological distractions, and perhaps I’m overstating my desires a little because, all-in-all, I don’t mind living in this little slice of the human effort - it is just that I’d love to experience the times that have already past.
What times would you choose? If you could only choose one, what would it be? I’ll try to answer these, but maybe you could too in the comments.
There are so many time periods that interest me and probably an incalculable number of time periods that I know absolutely nothing about. My first choice in time periods would probably be to see ancient Israel in all of its glory. Perhaps Babylon before it was overthrown. Or visit parts of China before it was covered in cement and footprints. To live in times before electricity. To make camp outside the city walls of Jericho before they fell. To watch how people reacted when the first horseless carriage drove through the streets of New York City, making the over one million horses shake in their shoes. To buy a plot of land in the Nevada desert sometime in the 1800s for two quarter-horses and a new gun. Or listen to Aristotle become one of the most respected philosophers that ever walked the earth before his theories began to be picked apart in modern-times. Or visit the Colosseum in its hay-day.
I’m rambling but there are many more that I can think of without any hesitation. The fact is, there is such a rich history in mankind that it would make it very difficult to choose just one.
If I had to choose one, though, my spiritual side immediately thinks of the privilege of those in attendance for Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount or his baptism by John. Talk about wishful thinking. But then my intellectual side calls to mind the day man walked on the moon (or did they? *chuckle*), or the day Columbus felt sand between his toes for the first time in months (not because he discovered the country in which I live, kinda, but because this proved false the theory that the world was flat even though the Bible had stated it for thousands of years prior), or (recalling Bible stories again) the day Moses walked on dry ground between walls of water that stood nearly 3-miles high with millions of Hebrews while fleeing Pharaoh and his army.
Ok, I could go on forever. Suffice to say - this will never happen. But I enjoy thinking about it once in a while. Have you ever thought about going back in time? Where would you go?
May 16th, 2007 at 10:43 am
I never really “wished” I could go back in time. I guess there are a lot of time periods that would be interesting, but none that I really would want to go back to.
May 16th, 2007 at 11:04 am
Oooh… what about the chance to see early man learning how to work together as a team for the first time to track down, hunt, and kill the great woolly Mammoth!
May 16th, 2007 at 11:11 am
What an extremely tough question to ponder, not the topic matter itself, but having to limit your answer to something specific. I do have to admit that I sometimes find myself wondering just what it was like ‘back then’ and think about how differently I would view life. If I had to choose a single time, I’d have to go along with you Colin (and your spiritual side), in that I’d want to pick a time and place of Biblical significance. I’m afraid I can’t narrow it down much more than that, as it’s very difficult for me to settle on any sort of ‘rank’.
May 16th, 2007 at 11:20 am
Anton: You’d probably be the guy to pick up the charcoal and draw on the sides of the cave while others are cooking up your Mammoth for you!
Jon: I too would probably find it nearly impossible to choose just one if it did come down to reality. But, its fun to speculate and chat about.
May 16th, 2007 at 2:44 pm
In my religion, it is believed that each being lives many lives, until they reach nirvana. If you’re still living on earth, your still going for that goal.
My theory is this, based on my religious beliefs, any time period or place that attracts you, is merely a repressed memory of a past-life. Therefore, any time period or place I relate to is because I’ve already lived through it once, and that lesson was learned, so I was able to move on, to new experiences.
With that in mind, I’m able to enjoy my current life knowing that I had already experienced a great adventure previously, even if I can’t fully remember it now.
Places and times (I don’t know exact dates, not a history buff, sorry) I know I had a past life include, before written history, during the lifetime of Siddartha in India, during the life of Jesus also in India, during the time of the Samurai in Japan, during the Chinese takeover of Tibet, in Tibet, I died during the attack on the capitol.
OK I’m going to stop, as I’m starting to sound a bit crazy. By the way, I was not a famous historical person during any of my past lives, I was never anyone special, just a regular guy, sometimes girl.
One parting thought to ponder, Buddhism states that for every person whom you merely brush shoulders with in your daily life is someone with which you’ve shared 500 lifetimes, so imagine the amount of past history you have with the people you love and love you back. It’s mind blowing.
Sorry I kind of went off. I don’t normally share this kind of stuff, sorry Colin.
May 16th, 2007 at 2:55 pm
James: No reason to say sorry James, no reason at all. Not knowing any Buddhists, it is nice to see a fresh perspective - and especially one so detailed and well thought-out. I really appreciate you sharing your thoughts on this.
February 13th, 2008 at 5:47 am
Cheers Colin, I too have thought of a time travel to the past many times ! I think only a person interested in others and the past would be enthusiastic about it!. I have thought about living in the past…what is the advantage you may ask ! - Well you know whats going to happen , But it may or may not be thrilling enough !
Nice reading your blog !
BT.