"The idea of a reality composed of infinite time layers running parallel to one another, accessible by tearing through a translucent membrane that reveals itself only at certain points in our timeline. . ."
Time feels exactly like this to me, Silvio. And where do we go at night when we sleep--to another layer? As much as I am in love with my waking life (I truly am) I don't usually enjoy my dreams. Often I wake up more tired than when I went to sleep. But I do like the waking up part.
Thank you so much for commenting, Ann. Yes -- where do we go? Or perhaps, what do we gain access to? It feels as though, when we sleep, a special part of us -- shut down when we're awake -- comes to fruition. We become recipients of impulses or a flow of stimuli from another dimension. I'm not a scientist, but my humble guess is that this will be a major subject of study in the decades to come. There must be something going on.
And thank you for sharing your experience with dreams. That happened to me, too, for a long time. Then I stopped eating dinner and -- as banal as it sounds -- started having enjoyable dreams again. :)
Brilliant piece Silvio. I like to think of these infinite time layers as you say, running parallel, but occasionally they bump up against one another. And when that happens, we experience something extra or “paranormal”—ghosts, serendipity, deja vu, ESP. Probably an overly simplistic explanation but on some weird level, it makes sense. And you, as always, have done an astonishing job illustrating these unresolvable mysteries of life with deft ease.
Kimberly! Thank you so much, dear. I, too, think exactly in those terms -- an occasional “derailment” of one of those parallel time tracks.
And you know, I think life is far more simplistic than we’re taught to believe -- and to me, that’s a beautiful thing. Our culture often trains us to assign negative connotations to certain words or expressions. “Simplistic”, for instance, is usually seen as a bad thing (or at leat not good). But to me, it’s not!
One thing my late dad always told me was: “Simplicity is a point of arrival, not a point of departure”. :)
This is from “numerologist.com” — you can go there for much more detail, but their conclusion:
“Seeing the 444 angel number is a sign of spiritual guidance and support. This special sequence can indicate that you are on the right path in life, both spiritually and materially. While it may bring challenges along with opportunities, its presence should be seen as an encouraging reminder to stay focused on your goals and maintain faith in yourself. The numerology behind this powerful angelic message will help guide you towards achieving all that you desire – so keep your eyes open for any other signs or messages from above.”
I've had this feeling - " a scene from another time"...you capture it wonderfully here. Sad and mysterious, strange but familiar. Really well done, Silvio.
This reminded me of my brother who has an extraordinary capacity for recalling and describing moments from our shared past in the small village where we grew up. He summons memories and places and people now long dead, so vividly, that however mundane or momentary, being over, they lacerate and contract my heart. Time travel such as this is an art - and perhaps by opening up our minds, a talent we can all endeavour to acquire.
Yes, definitely! I wholeheartedly agree: it is a matter of opening up our minds and letting them wander without restrictions. Thank you sharing this thought! And for reading!
Infinite time layers running parallel - and maybe most accessible in dreams? I had a nightmare recently - a demon was peeking at me through a crack in a door, and I've been wondering if it were a real demon revealing himself in a dream? 👹 Great post Silvio.
You know, I’m always left with this enigma in mind whenever I have dreams (or nightmares): is it real? And what’s “real” exactly? Is it the “real” we’re used to, or some other “real”? So fascinating, and unsettling at the same time. Thanks so much for reading, Troy!
I do think they are real in the same sense stories are real - they have a real effect, represent real concerns, fears, wishes - we can talk about them and react to them “for reals”... ;) Maybe just a different kind of “reality” but no less consequential.
I wish you could see my face as I've read this post, the gradual smile that has crept across my lips to finally feel the awe of the ideas in the finale.
Those last few paragraphs, as we slip forward/back to the present/past. Wonderful. Always wonderful, Silvio.
I kept wanting to quote a passage but then the next part wanted to be quoted more, and this kept repeating. So, I'll just quote this, which I especially loved:
"it’s as if, right then and there, he could already see the table where Maurizio and I would sit and remember that scene, forty-five years later, in a superimposition of two different time dimensions. As if time ran parallel, and every single moment lived on perpetually alongside every other, while we merely experienced one of these infinite sequences."
You always have this special sensitivity that leads you, without fail, to pick the parts dearest to me. That says so much about the connection that I (and my writing) feel I have with you (and your writing), -- it feels truly special. Thank you so much, Nathan. I’m glad these ideas resonate -- they’ve been on my mind forever. :)
I call Bolaño the recurring guest star of this series - and maybe more! The infinite time layers parallel to each other -- it makes me think of Proust's idea about how fiction is essentially a game played with time at its center and fiction writers as time-masters in their work. Always a joy to read these letters unsent. Be "I" the character or you IRL, sometimes I'm very tempted to say, "please send the letter!"
Helen! Thank you so much for sharing this precious Proustian idea. That’s so interesting, you’ve just given me a lot to think about! Yes, the “I” is most often the character -- or at least, it has been lately. :)
P.S. Bolaño is definitely the recurring guest star in my writing, whether I state it explicitly or not.
When i tell people, most friends included, about these sensations, disbelief ensues. At that point, there is not much difference between deft and daft in their minds.
"The idea of a reality composed of infinite time layers running parallel to one another, accessible by tearing through a translucent membrane that reveals itself only at certain points in our timeline. . ."
Time feels exactly like this to me, Silvio. And where do we go at night when we sleep--to another layer? As much as I am in love with my waking life (I truly am) I don't usually enjoy my dreams. Often I wake up more tired than when I went to sleep. But I do like the waking up part.
My first thought is always: Still here. Good.
Thank you so much for commenting, Ann. Yes -- where do we go? Or perhaps, what do we gain access to? It feels as though, when we sleep, a special part of us -- shut down when we're awake -- comes to fruition. We become recipients of impulses or a flow of stimuli from another dimension. I'm not a scientist, but my humble guess is that this will be a major subject of study in the decades to come. There must be something going on.
And thank you for sharing your experience with dreams. That happened to me, too, for a long time. Then I stopped eating dinner and -- as banal as it sounds -- started having enjoyable dreams again. :)
Brilliant piece Silvio. I like to think of these infinite time layers as you say, running parallel, but occasionally they bump up against one another. And when that happens, we experience something extra or “paranormal”—ghosts, serendipity, deja vu, ESP. Probably an overly simplistic explanation but on some weird level, it makes sense. And you, as always, have done an astonishing job illustrating these unresolvable mysteries of life with deft ease.
Kimberly! Thank you so much, dear. I, too, think exactly in those terms -- an occasional “derailment” of one of those parallel time tracks.
And you know, I think life is far more simplistic than we’re taught to believe -- and to me, that’s a beautiful thing. Our culture often trains us to assign negative connotations to certain words or expressions. “Simplistic”, for instance, is usually seen as a bad thing (or at leat not good). But to me, it’s not!
One thing my late dad always told me was: “Simplicity is a point of arrival, not a point of departure”. :)
Wow, your dad sounds like a cool guy. I hope you write more about him someday.:)
Masterful and tightly coiled writing. Always enjoyable to read you Silvio.
I love writing fiction, but I love reading good fiction like yours even more.
Thank you so much, Kostas!
"This probably doesn’t make any sense to you,"
But it did.
A very deft description of mysterious possibilities, Silvio — well done!
And 444 - another powerful angel number; significant indeed!
Thank you so much, Rose! Is it really a powerful number? Tell me about it.
This is from “numerologist.com” — you can go there for much more detail, but their conclusion:
“Seeing the 444 angel number is a sign of spiritual guidance and support. This special sequence can indicate that you are on the right path in life, both spiritually and materially. While it may bring challenges along with opportunities, its presence should be seen as an encouraging reminder to stay focused on your goals and maintain faith in yourself. The numerology behind this powerful angelic message will help guide you towards achieving all that you desire – so keep your eyes open for any other signs or messages from above.”
☺️
Thank you! (Gosh, I'm so behind with comments...)
That’s ok… more writing and less commenting is totally acceptable!!
I've had this feeling - " a scene from another time"...you capture it wonderfully here. Sad and mysterious, strange but familiar. Really well done, Silvio.
Thank you so much, Kate! “Strange but familiar” -- great way to put it! :)
Oh the definition of uncanny haha
This reminded me of my brother who has an extraordinary capacity for recalling and describing moments from our shared past in the small village where we grew up. He summons memories and places and people now long dead, so vividly, that however mundane or momentary, being over, they lacerate and contract my heart. Time travel such as this is an art - and perhaps by opening up our minds, a talent we can all endeavour to acquire.
Yes, definitely! I wholeheartedly agree: it is a matter of opening up our minds and letting them wander without restrictions. Thank you sharing this thought! And for reading!
Beautifully written, Silvio. I have been absent as of late and have lots to catch up to!
Thank you so much, Alexander! Great to see you back. I too have been MIA on and off here. And I too have tons of catching up to do. :)
Infinite time layers running parallel - and maybe most accessible in dreams? I had a nightmare recently - a demon was peeking at me through a crack in a door, and I've been wondering if it were a real demon revealing himself in a dream? 👹 Great post Silvio.
You know, I’m always left with this enigma in mind whenever I have dreams (or nightmares): is it real? And what’s “real” exactly? Is it the “real” we’re used to, or some other “real”? So fascinating, and unsettling at the same time. Thanks so much for reading, Troy!
I do think they are real in the same sense stories are real - they have a real effect, represent real concerns, fears, wishes - we can talk about them and react to them “for reals”... ;) Maybe just a different kind of “reality” but no less consequential.
“But no less consequential” -- 100% agree.
I wish you could see my face as I've read this post, the gradual smile that has crept across my lips to finally feel the awe of the ideas in the finale.
Those last few paragraphs, as we slip forward/back to the present/past. Wonderful. Always wonderful, Silvio.
I kept wanting to quote a passage but then the next part wanted to be quoted more, and this kept repeating. So, I'll just quote this, which I especially loved:
"it’s as if, right then and there, he could already see the table where Maurizio and I would sit and remember that scene, forty-five years later, in a superimposition of two different time dimensions. As if time ran parallel, and every single moment lived on perpetually alongside every other, while we merely experienced one of these infinite sequences."
You always have this special sensitivity that leads you, without fail, to pick the parts dearest to me. That says so much about the connection that I (and my writing) feel I have with you (and your writing), -- it feels truly special. Thank you so much, Nathan. I’m glad these ideas resonate -- they’ve been on my mind forever. :)
🤗
Right back at you my friend.
I call Bolaño the recurring guest star of this series - and maybe more! The infinite time layers parallel to each other -- it makes me think of Proust's idea about how fiction is essentially a game played with time at its center and fiction writers as time-masters in their work. Always a joy to read these letters unsent. Be "I" the character or you IRL, sometimes I'm very tempted to say, "please send the letter!"
Helen! Thank you so much for sharing this precious Proustian idea. That’s so interesting, you’ve just given me a lot to think about! Yes, the “I” is most often the character -- or at least, it has been lately. :)
P.S. Bolaño is definitely the recurring guest star in my writing, whether I state it explicitly or not.
Beautifully insightful with time as an elusive concept. And written thus, in your unique style is precious. Thanks. 😊
Thank you so much, Jill!
When i tell people, most friends included, about these sensations, disbelief ensues. At that point, there is not much difference between deft and daft in their minds.
Interesting -- I tend to have the same thought occasionally. Thank you so much for reading and commenting!
I love these wee adventures into your life and memories
Thank you so much, Ellen!