Nostalgia Is A Cancer - [Matthew]
Nostalgia is a sickness, a cancer slowly and invisibly tapping your energy.In fantasizing about your glory days, you hold your hands over your ears, telling yourself ‘I’m not here. I’m in my happy place. I’m not in my crummy, can’t-make-the-mortgage world of today. I’m back in my early post-college days where things were good and simple.’
Miserable fool. The passing of time gilds memories with a golden veneer that tells you ‘things were better then.’
Let’s time travel back to those magical days of yesteryear. In the midst of wondering if you would be single the rest of your life, wondering if you would ever use your degree, wondering how you’d make the rent... what were you thinking then?
Were you daydreaming about floating in the dreamy amniotic fluid of academia? Because in college, if you’ll recall, you were obsessed with classes, exams, dating, and various other natural disasters.
Why so strident on this? Because I’m an addict, too. I think this dawned on me sometime after purchasing VHS copies (mint!) of Pee Wee’s Playhouse and Beakman’s World online.
With the advent of Ebay, we can all become pop culture archeologists, piecing together the fragmented memories of our childhoods, auction by auction. Videos, first generation Nintendo games, the Garbage Pail Kids cards I wasn’t allowed to have back in elementary school (who’s laughing now, Mom?).
What are these artifacts ultimately? Trophies. Trophies that announce to the world ‘Look everybody, this person is the big winner in the I’m-having-trouble-living-in-the-present Olympics.’
The draw of longing for the past is a siren song, escapism dressed up like an old friend.
Can’t you see that in dreaming about Then, you’re robbing yourself of Now? Yeah, you may have some nice memories, but life was tough back then, too. Probably things are tougher now. In the future, God only knows.
So stop it. Just stop it. Step away. Stop dosing on the nostalgia Novocain.
Pull your hands down from your ears. Open your eyes. This is your life. Your life is right now. Plant your feet. Stare at your world without blinking. And consider this: everything you’ve ever been through, every mistake you’ve made and subsequent lesson you’ve learned, has led you to this. Very. Moment.
The good old days? Baby, you’re living them. Get on with it.
[end ping]
posted by Etcetera at 5:18 PM
8 Comments:
Every once and a while I remember that there was a particular feeling of excitement and expectation I had that I haven't felt since I was in college. That, I miss. But I wouldn't trade my life now for that.
"In the midst of wondering if you would be single the rest of your life, wondering if you would ever use your degree, wondering how you’d make the rent... what were you thinking then?"
Huh, since this is actually where I am RIGHT NOW, I can tell you exactly what I'm thinking... It sort of goes back and forth from screams of panic, to thanking God for all the AMAZING things about my life. I just try to remember that even when it's terrifying, He's still Himself.
I see both sides of this, Matthew. Even though I totally love playing Madden 2006 on my Playstation 2, I get more fun playing the dark-green Matel Football2 game... the 2nd one, where you can pass... those little red blips are the best!! I also enoy aying the original Mattel B-Ball game.
While EAS Sports has better graphics, there's no better feeling than runing away with the ball as a red-LED character, only to hear the ever elusive, but oh-so-gratifying touchdown sound... da,da,da, DA... da, DA...
Sometimes nostalgia kicks ass!!
ok, I wanted to figure this out...cause the pic threw me for a loop...all I can think of is that he is a "transformer" which makes me feel weird that I even know that. But the mention of the blip football games does bring back nostalgia. But really, all this makes me think, that as young people get older...they realize that life really does change..they really do grow old...their bodies really do start failing and what they think was the best they could be seems to now be in the past...that is not fun, but it is a common experience .... welcome to aging. AAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHH
Understand, there are things from college and childhood that make me smile when I think about them... old TV shows, playing Nintendo, etc. Nothing wrong with that at all, in my opinion. But there is a distinct difference between these pleasant, fleeting memories, and living much of your waking life looking back. And maybe I'm just talking to myself here, but I've been there before.
Matthew, I completely know where you are coming from. There are times when I long to be back when I was 12, not having a care in the world. It's like John Mayer says,
"well these days
I wish I was 6 again
Oh make me a red cape
I wanna be Superman"
And then, I think about all the wonderful things I have right now... and I remember I should stop living in the past and enjoy the now.
Remember Lot's wife.
Good stuff Matt...
Sometimes it's good to stop dwelling so much on Super Mario Bros., Goonies II, Double Dribble, Tecmo Bowl, Legend of Zelda, and pull your head out of your @ss, and start living now!!
Nice reminder....
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