I have a question to ask any/all of you, just out of interest, and to get people thinking. One of the greatest films I have seen is called After Life. Some random people have died, and they are given so many days to choose one memory from their lifetime that they wish to relive. This memory is then recreated on film, and when they watch it, they pass on to the after-life feeling the joy/love/happiness/peace or whatever, that they experienced at the time. There are a couple of people who cannot choose a memory, or refuse to. If you don't choose, you remain behind to help recreate people's films. When I first watched this film, I was incredibly moved. I had nothing to show for my life (doesn't matter how old or young you are) but it's on TV again now which prompted me to ask you lot. So: If you died, right now, and were asked to choose one memory to re-live as you pass into the afterlife, so you eternally feel as you did at that moment, what would you choose? And why, if there is a reason? Even if you don't have one, or don't want to share what it is, it would be interesting to here.
That is an interesting concept that makes for an interesting question. My life is really just beginning so I don't have too many earth shatteringly joyful moment to boast of, but I find that it's the quietly happy times that have the longest effect for me anyway. You know, Instead of bursting out of my skin happy because I got a puppy for my birthday, I would prefer the tingling contentment that finishing a beautifully written book provides. If that makes any sense... Perhaps my opinion will change once I have more happy experiences to draw on. Who knows? You definitely got me thinking, though.
I can remember fantastic experiences from about the age of 3 as well as horrible ones. My 3-year-old one is being on a steam train, and it was my first visit to England. Another was travelling back from the hospital with my newborn baby brother--wow, I was proud of him. Winning South of England Cross was a high. Every time I had the same feeling of flying really high, up with the angels, and loving everyone; it didn't matter how old I was, or how big the achievement, the feeling swooped down and took me over every time. I'd be hard pushed to choose which one is tops, though.
What a thought provoking question! I guess the answer to that would be to choose your happiest or most meaningful event / day in history. Like Rory, I'm just starting my life, so I dont have much to share, but I suppose if I had to pick just one, I'd choose Christmas Eve of 2008. It was the day I had probably the most important conversation I'd ever had with anyone ever before, and I felt positively radiant. It was also one of the most important events I've ever experienced in my life. Afterward, I got to see relatives I hadnt seen since the Christmas before and saw my cousin who I perhaps might not get to see again. It was a perfect day, and I'd love to feel eternally in love and loved.
i would probably choose the first time i held any of my 7 children, after their birth... the 'why' should be obvious to any mother... i'm not sure i could put it into words for those who've never had the experience, but it's something to do with it being the purest, most total 'love' and 'fulfillment' any creature can ever know... i pity poor men, who can never come close to feeling this... but i suspect that if they ever did have to bear and give birth to their children, they'd never have two... and as soon as the word got around re how hard and uncomfortable and painful the process is, they'd never have the first one! ;-)
Well, I guess men are able to experience that intense emotion also. When my father held my eldest daughter in the hospital for the first time--his first grandchild--the tears were streaming down his face and he said it was the happiest moment of his life (he'd either been away on duty, or the babies were taken straight off to intensive care when myself and my 6 siblings were born).
Mine would be a few weeks before Christmas of 2007. I had just recently gotten out of a really bad relationship, Joel and I had just started spending time together, and he went to the mall with me, my sister and her now-fiance, and my youngest sister. It wasn't like anything earth-shattering happened while we were there...we just walked around, looking for Christmas presents and having a good time, but I just remember being happier than I had been in a long time, finally being able to feel comfortable with who I was again, and being able to laugh and joke with my friends instead of watching every move I made...it was nice realizing that being myself wasn't a bad thing.
Just yesterday was one of my very rare "hang out days," when I get to spend the entire day out of the house with a friend or two. Yesterday was the best one so far. If I had to pick one moment of that to relive to prepare for eternity... We stayed awhile at one of my friends' home, just hanging out and having fun in her bedroom (clean fun, I promise). There were four of us, three constantly trying to tickle the fourth just because her reactions are so amusing. It didn't always work out for me, though, because she was kind of using me as a pillow. Well within smacking and kicking distance. Such simple moments can't be described in a way that others can appreciate. You simply have to experience them yourself.
