Something to Think About
The Realm of Possibility.
Ever since I read The Realm of Possibility by David Levithan, my take on life in general has shifted to an entirely different perspective. The book forced me to view various situations from every perspective imaginable, opening my mind to the endless curiosities of chance. Every little decision I make is just another string in the tangled network that is life.
I find myself curious about the little things. Little habits and gestures. Exchanged glances across a room, the sound of someone’s contagious laugh, a monotonous unison of keyboards clicking in my paperless English class. Whether or not I am involved in these moments is not what matters to me. The significance of these moments - people connecting and the future consequences - are what fuel my interest. Levithan’s book opened my eyes to the effect of these seemingly insignificant events. With the way my thought process shifted, I swear I could have classified myself as narrow-minded and self-centered before I knew better.
Everything connects. I just never took the time out to see it, to hear the way a conversation unfolds without listening to the words, to understand what a person is feeling by the aura they give, to look inside myself to figure out what I really want rather than listening to what I think I need. No one could teach me how to look deeper, no one could force me to appreciate everything I’ve been given. But The Realm of Possibility showed me how it works in a universe parallel to mine. The characters evoked emotions in me that I could not comprehend, mostly because I could relate in a way bigger than myself. I had not experienced any of the situations the characters had gone through, but I felt like the idea of each of the events showed me more than I could know.
My friends have become more important to me now. The people who understand me without question, the people who exchange glances with me across the hall, the people who spontaneously decide to hold my hand as we walk down the pier. Those are the people that matter. Those are the people who have shaped me into the person I am today. I am constructed of all of those moments, the smile on his lips, her abrupt, infectious laughter, the lacing of our fingertips, the warmth of every embrace, the saltiness of unwarranted tears, the beat of a metronome that fuels every essence of my existence. Every second of every day, I appreciate every aspect of my life.
It all happens for a reason. Without The Realm of Possibility, I would have been as narrow minded and judgmental as I was years ago, a trait I’m glad to no longer have. But that is simply just another aspect of who I am and who I have come to be, and I welcome all of the mistakes and lessons I find myself making and learning in the future.
As both Daniel and Jed said at the beginning and end of Levithan’s book, “This will linger.”
I find myself curious about the little things. Little habits and gestures. Exchanged glances across a room, the sound of someone’s contagious laugh, a monotonous unison of keyboards clicking in my paperless English class. Whether or not I am involved in these moments is not what matters to me. The significance of these moments - people connecting and the future consequences - are what fuel my interest. Levithan’s book opened my eyes to the effect of these seemingly insignificant events. With the way my thought process shifted, I swear I could have classified myself as narrow-minded and self-centered before I knew better.
Everything connects. I just never took the time out to see it, to hear the way a conversation unfolds without listening to the words, to understand what a person is feeling by the aura they give, to look inside myself to figure out what I really want rather than listening to what I think I need. No one could teach me how to look deeper, no one could force me to appreciate everything I’ve been given. But The Realm of Possibility showed me how it works in a universe parallel to mine. The characters evoked emotions in me that I could not comprehend, mostly because I could relate in a way bigger than myself. I had not experienced any of the situations the characters had gone through, but I felt like the idea of each of the events showed me more than I could know.
My friends have become more important to me now. The people who understand me without question, the people who exchange glances with me across the hall, the people who spontaneously decide to hold my hand as we walk down the pier. Those are the people that matter. Those are the people who have shaped me into the person I am today. I am constructed of all of those moments, the smile on his lips, her abrupt, infectious laughter, the lacing of our fingertips, the warmth of every embrace, the saltiness of unwarranted tears, the beat of a metronome that fuels every essence of my existence. Every second of every day, I appreciate every aspect of my life.
It all happens for a reason. Without The Realm of Possibility, I would have been as narrow minded and judgmental as I was years ago, a trait I’m glad to no longer have. But that is simply just another aspect of who I am and who I have come to be, and I welcome all of the mistakes and lessons I find myself making and learning in the future.
As both Daniel and Jed said at the beginning and end of Levithan’s book, “This will linger.”
♠ ♠ ♠
It's two in the morning and I've got another essay to write. Godspeed. I die tomorrow.