Monday, February 18, 2008

Writer's Island, Sunday Scribblings - Time Travel - 2/18/08 - 2/29/08


I thought a lot about this prompt and there were so many possibilities as to boggle my already cluttered mind. I could go forward and find out where we are going and come back and scare the crap out of everyone and probably win some Nobel Prizes. I could go back and change history. I could tell Lincoln, the Kennedys, and Martin Luther King to duck. I could push Yoko Ono in front of John Lennon and let her take some for mankind. I could create a diversion to cause air traffic in the northeast to be suspended on the morning of September 11, 2001. I could be selfish and go back and bet sporting events, pick lottery numbers, or buy worthless, desert land that later becomes Las Vegas. I could bankroll Bill Gates.

Then I considered the Prime Directive. If any of you were Star Trek fans, the crew of the Enterprise was were never supposed to interfere with cultures or alter history. It is more complicated than that, but that is it in a nutshell.

That was also a no-no according to Doc Brown in Back to the Future.

The premise is that by affecting one outcome, you affect many, many more. For example, if I prevented Pearl Harbor from happening, somebody important to mankind may not have been born after VJ day festivities.

Then there are those that believe that history is inevitable. For instance, if I went back killed an infant Hitler, someone else would have ascended to power in a 1939 Germany that was ripe for a dictator.

And if I went back and slapped the apple out of Eve’s hand, the human race would have found other ways to sin and defy God. We are good like that.

With all those things in mind, I elected to limit myself to one visit back in time. One single place and time in which to beam myself within all of history. After careful consideration, I came to one conclusion. I would journey back to northern Idaho in the late 1960’s. I would be in a little boat on Rose Lake fishing for crappie and bass with my dad. I didn’t do nearly enough of that as a teenager. I enjoyed that more than anything as a child,

but as I grew up I became busy with other things and forgot what was most important to me. Maybe we would catch fish and maybe not. But I would get to know him and he would get to know me. And there is no better place to do that than a little boat on a tiny lake in Kootenai County.

So the Titanic is going to hit the berg, Chernobyl is going to melt down, and Chicago is going to burn to the ground. Dictators are going to oppress, assassins are going to murder, and governments are going to continue to make mistakes. I am going to attend to my little part of the world and let someone else drive the DeLorean.

37 comments:

Lucy said...

this is such a well thought out, sentimental, captivating post! Like 'back to the future' preaches, WE can't go back and change history, it could be more disastrous. But, I think to go back and spend more quality time with your dad would be lovely.

Susan Helene Gottfried said...

I love it! What a great idea! You are so right; sometimes, the smaller things mean the most.

Anonymous said...

What a wonderful memory!! You are right. Life is as it should be and for those of us who have never visited that lake before, we have now!!! What a great writer you are!!!

Crafty Green Poet said...

I like your approach here and that lake looks wonderful...

Anonymous said...

i like the pictures. of course, your writing is thoughtful.

seeds travelling through time

anthonynorth said...

An excellent journey through history.
Glad I had time to enjoy it.

Anonymous said...

You know I think most of what I've read is very good. That journey was a break from winter and very sentimental. I had forgotten how peaceful fishing is and I plan to get back to it myself as soon as the weather gets back to itself.
Miss Rose

Anonymous said...

That last bit of time travel is the best, esp. to one's childhood and family...

Shammi said...

I found this post extraordinarily touching. I lost my dad when i was young and have always regretted that i didnt get the chance to know him better. Wasnt any fishing involved this end, of course... but the sentiment holds true.

Jeques said...

Now this is the latest.

Indeed, there is no way we could change things from the past, they were meant to be. We just have to be grateful for the positive impact it has done to make us what we are today.

But we have in our hands, in whatever power we have to make the present, today, right now, this moment the most out of it to determine our futures, our better tomorrows and one day look back and be proud of what we did and what we have become.

I like the simple joy you pointed out you would like to revisit - that precious moment you had with your father.

Memories would allow you to do so. But also, you could do this by spending time with someone - be it your own child - and do the things you've always wanted to do again with your father, only there would be some role changes: you could be the father this time.

I wish you well.

~ Jeques

myrtle beached whale said...

Jeques:

glad you could find my current blogs. I enjoyed your comment. Unfortunately, my own children are grown and have lives of their own. "Cats in the Cradle". I hope to live long enough to have some fishing moments with my grandchildren.

Christy Woolum said...

Ahhh! I have memories of Rose Lake also. You have been tagged on my blog today.

little wing writer said...

wow... the prime directive.. make it so... how precious that you'd pick those moments fishing w/yr dad... kootenai, yeppers... some awesome lakes around here.. ponderay and priest are the best!!

Tumblewords: said...

You're such a fine writer - these words and photos clutch at my throat and smear my vision. Rose Lake. Fishing with the Dad. What in the world (as we find so late) could be better than that? I love the to and fro you created with the time machine. Absolutely superb piece...!

Anonymous said...

To travel in time...I am sure we all think about that...past or future. Going back, we could make changes or relive precious memories. Going ahead, well, not for me.

As I was reading your post, my mind drifted to my childhood. The most simply things are the things I remember best. It is amazing how good it feels to think back to that time . Thanks for making that happen.

I like when you write about your daddy, it makes me think of mine.

By the way, I was a Star Trek fan.

My first time leaving a comment, but I read you often and I enjoy your writings.

Mare Freeborn said...

Really liked this post from the very first picture. Bill and Ted was my favorite movie when I was about 13 or so. The small stuff is what matters. Maybe is Hitler had spent more time with his dad our reality would be different now.

gautami tripathy said...

The smaller things lead to bigger ones. Thanks for this post.

teachers bleed tears

gautami tripathy said...

BTW, I liked revisiting this post.

Anonymous said...

If only we could go back in time and change certain world events...

I do believe revisiting family memories are the most special. Thanks for sharing.

Robin said...

What a beautiful post. I love what you've said and how you've said it.

Anonymous said...

I always enjoy your posts but don't often leave a comment to tell you so. I couldn't let this one go by without saying what a fine writer you are!! My mind thinks along the same lines but I couldn't have said it nearly as well. Have a nice weekend!!

Anonymous said...

I do often think like this.... what if.. what if?! But it is the small things, like the flutter of the butterfly wings that make the biggest impact.

myrtle beached whale said...

I so appreciate all your comments both from my regular blogger friends and new visitors. I hope you come back. Sometimes I even make sense.

Sherry said...

OMG -- you made me cry. You took this prompt and you did it justice. Could you imagine if we had a time machine that could do these things?! It makes me weep. And you wrote it beautifully. Thank you.

Anonymous said...

FANTASTIC - absolutley brilliant! As you can tell I loved your post - you have such a way with words always sounding so thoughtful, researched and honest! THANK YOU, Applause, Applause!

GreenishLady said...

This is a wonderfully touching and profound post. Yes. You make sense. More than that. Much more.

Anonymous said...

Wonderful post! Sure, there are all kinds of things we could do with all of our "insider information," but at what cost? People are always searching for and debating the "meaning of life." Perhaps life just is, and we must choose to live it as best we can.

My kids are 9 and 11 and we recently took up fishing. So often our weekends are filled up with errands and chores and distractions. Your post reminded me that as a parent, I've only got so much time with them, and I should use it well and remind myself when they are being obstinate or defiant or disobedient, that someday years from now, they won't remember the times they were annoyed with me, but rather the good times I shared with them.

Maree Jones said...

Great post - I think there will always be suffering in being human and if you change critical incidents then perhaps the world wouldn't evolve as it should, we wouldn't move forward, make changes and try to make a better world.

However, I really do want to drive the DeLorien!

Patois42 said...

You made a good choice.

Anonymous said...

YIKES I feel bad for Yoko! But its a good thing that your well versed iin the fundamental time-travel rule!! The sentiment of family time and returning to those precious moments, could actually be the secret weapon in creating a better world. Nice JOb!

Anonymous said...

Thanks for the unique time travel post. It was really great. I enjoyed it so much I had to read it over and over again.

paisley said...

excellent take on the prompt.. the important things,,, are still the important things... very nice...

gma said...

That first photo of Bill and Ted got my attention LOL!
Nice writing and photos.

Preethi said...

excellent take.. its the small things that matter

My time capsule

Chris said...

You have so many well wishers this week this seems redundant, but I wanted to add -- this is absolutely wonderful!

myrtle beached whale said...

It is impossible to have too many well-wishers. I appreciate every single one. It makes it all worthwhile. The minutes I toil. LOL

Ginger Doll said...

Gorgeous post that I stumbled across.

'Cats in the cradle and the silver spoon, little boy blue and the man in the moon, where you going now Dad, I don't know when we'll be together again...'

I love that song and its application here in your comments speaks so much.