I had a friend once, a guy I knew in college, who believed that all moments in time exist simultaneously. He said it's only our consciousness which moves past these moments in a linear way. It made him happy, thinking that his finest moments still existed somehow. His theory made sense to me but I dearly hoped he was wrong -- preferring, in those days, that certain embarrassing moments cease to exist as soon as I could forget about them.
Lately I've been thinking about the characters in one of Ursula LeGuin's books, who consider time to be spiral. The spiral is an important metaphor in the culture she invented for the book, much like the straight line is important in ours. Her people think of going out and coming back, like a yoyo; they think in terms of journey and return. (Book title: "Always Coming Home.")
I am beginning to see time that way, too. I would draw it for you but, you know, this Blogger thing only lets me write in straight lines. It goes like this:
MondayTuesdayWednesdayThursdayFridayWeekendMondayTuesday
SpringSummerFallWinterSpringSummer
EasterFourthofJulyHalloweenThanksgivingChristmasEasterFourthofJuly
My peas are growing again, as they did the year before and as they will next year. I see bees in the vine maples again; the strawberry flowers are blooming again; mint is growing by the river again. Again, again, again.
As I begin a second year -- and in some cases a third! -- of reading others' blogs, this sense of time winding back around is very strong. We all react to spring the same way, every year, did you know? It's funny and comforting.
Note that I'm not saying we're running on a wheel. Time is not a circle, with one Memorial Day overlain on the previous one. This holiday weekend isn't identical to the last. It's a spiral. The years lie beside each other, not quite touching.
Here, take a look at these spirals. (Oh how I love the internet! These are taken from Wolfram Mathworld): the parabolic spiral and the Cornu spiral:
Think of time shaped like that!
9 comments:
There was another great time book, by James P Hogan I think that likened time to a river with boats going faster and slower and passing each other. I can't remember exactly, but it struck a similar chord with me. I'll have to dig through my book boxes and see if I can find it-
I love Ursula LeGuin.
And I love this post. The last spiral I'm printing out and putting next to my computer.
Right now, I am anxious to be moving toward a different present, and I didn't feel particularly receptive to this idea, despite the truth in it.
On the other hand, I am saddened when I think of wishing away my life for an uncertain future, so it is comforting to think that I can calm down, slow down and let time coil around me. The next point in time and the last one are close if I just reach out.
Yes, I have been noticing spring coming to the blogosphere and to my garden and have been thinking about all the springs I no longer have left. This spring, with a girl in rubber boots touting a shovel, is the best ring on the spiral yet. Maybe the spiral is more like the trunk of a tree showing each year indelibly as it ages. The good years have wider rings; the bad years have smaller ones.
What an interesting idea. I think I need to read Ursual K LeGuin. I like the idea of that last spiral the most - it implies at least some movement forward - but then that might just be my linear brain trying to force the subject.
I will try, but my concept of time is very linear.
Also wanted to let you know that my Monday Mission is up, here. It's a day late, but I was on the road yesterday, so my "meeting" had to be postponed.
I get dizzy if I think about this too hard... ;) I actually like the "all moments in time exist simultaneously" theory. Hmmm.
"Always Coming Home" will have to go on my "to read" list - thanks!
-- Jennifer (Faking It)
ps. My Monday Mission just went up, too. :)
Those spirals are v. pretty.
You are so much kinder thinking about the return of the seasons, I've been thinking about how my blog posts just get repetitive after a while!
Who knew you all would be so interested in my theory about time?
This whole post just goes to show you that I'm a crazy optimist.
Also, Jody, I have worked in a big corporation for a decade & have learned the fine are of spin!
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