Note: I wrote this on 08/03/2024 after thinking about the movie Past Lives.

Past Lives

“In another universe, I would’ve loved doing laundry and taxes with you”. This seemingly simple dialogue is heavy. The lives we live are catastrophically chaotic. When we were young, things were simple, or at least seemed simple. As we grew older, things started changing rapidly. Everything that was naive, is now ruined somehow? Every preconceived notion seems to degrade, and so does, very little by little, our worldview. Adulthood is scary. It always keeps you on your toes and keeps reminding you that everything you have is temporary. It’s damn scary. Relationships are what help us make sense of this spaghetti. They give us hope that even if everything changes in this world, what I have with them will be there.It’s that sense of security that makes people hold on to them.

You can’t define people because a definition binds them to being unchanged - we are dynamic species. Nature is chaotic, and embracing it is the best we can do to keep peace with ourselves. But it’s really scary. You have to realize that everything around you is to a large extent relying on some seemingly small notion. Everything can crumble at any moment - but it doesn’t. Focus on the “not-crumbling part”, not the “it could crumble” part. It’s hard, but needs to be done.

Everyone wants to go back to simpler times, but no one wants to take a deep breath, believe in themselves, and take that leap of faith. Be happy, I know even though it is hard.