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In my Existentialism class we tend to get off the topic, I think. Nonetheless, the discussions are really interesting, even if it hurts my brain when we veer off into hypothetical situations that involve the Presidents daughter being kidnapped for nuclear secrets.
One of the more interesting things we’ve talked about so far is the possibility of there being 38 people (or so) in the world that we are meant to meet that will change our lives by knowing them, even briefly. Well, we didn’t so much talk about it as our professor really wanted to tell us about the idea. I don’t really recall who came up with the concept, but she said a bunch of people used it in their writings. Anyways.
I was mulling this idea over when the professor said, “Yes, I know for a fact that I’ve met at least two. Maybe three.”
I don’t quite understand why this was so special, but… I’m wondering if she meant to put emphasis on this idea, because in our lives we can encounter hundreds of thousands of people and can easily miss saying ‘Hello’ or even acknowledging one of those people in passing. She also said, later in our discussion about how we are entirely responsible for our actions, that if we take orders from above without seeing the effects on those around us then, again, we could possibly miss or make an encounter impossible.
I tried to pick out people in my life that have had profound effects on the direct course of my life. I can think of one, maybe two. It was kind of an eye opener, in that I truly value my friends for how much they help me and guide me to grow; I am afraid of how easy it would be to not remember someone who has an infinite amount of influence on your life. That’s what I think it is that these 38 people can do, as opposed to people we simply love, they can influence us infinitely.
How rich a life must be that has met all 38 (or so).
These are the names of my fish. My very cheap, high maintenance fish. The cost of their tank and gravel and plants and decorations was 300% the cost of the fish themselves.
They had better last.
