i’ve always tried to not delete old email. in a way, email that sticks around in your sent box or email you received is kind of a journal in it’s own right. i tend to use email *constantly*, so chances are, if something is going on in my life or i am planning on doing something, there will be a record of it in my email. i’ve worked here at consumerreview for a bit over 3 years now, and today did a little digging through some mails i have laying around from when i first started here. it’s so weird! so many of the emails are about raves etc. it’s crazy to think how much a part of my life they were at that point, even though by then my interest in it had been waning for years. it’s also pretty trippy to see who of the people who were my friends back then are still my friends now, and who has fallen through the cracks. it’s pretty nuts how much can change in just 3 years. on the flip side, a lot of the stuff i wrote about back then, i’m still into now. i wonder what parts of my current life i’ll keep w/ me when it’s 3 years from now? how different will i be?
It keeps making me think of this book i read back in the day, where the main quote was “I gave my life to become the person that I am right now. Was it worth it?”. If you think about it, at any given time, if we take a current snapshot of our lives, it really does come down to that. everything a person has ever done in their life… all the places they’ve gone, all the jobs they’ve had, all the choices they’ve made, all the time they’ve spent.. basically everything in their life so far, they have given and spent in exchange for the present which is: their current personality, a bunch of memories, and interpersonal relationships that they have formed. as we continue to live life, the amount of time we have traded to be who we currently are keeps going up… and we can only hope that the barter is still worthwhile.
-v
<i>Was it worth it?</i> Yes.
Nice post, Vlad. I agree.. I kind of think of it that way upon meeting new people. Like, whatever else goes on in either of our lives, no matter how different we might be and whether or not we’ll know each other in the future or even see each other again, every little action is giving yourself to the world and the world giving back. And the things from each encounter that I take with me are even better perhaps, then the moment itself. Even mundane occassions. When I think back to my childhood memories, I notice I can clearly remember some things that weren’t exciting or whatever it takes to be a seemingly worthwhile memory but I remember them clearly just the same. It really makes you think more about apppreciating each moment, ya know?
Thanks Vlad.