There is something that has been gnawing at me for at least a week now. I realize that it is a matter of paradigm, but it has still gotten me thinking.
I read and watch a lot of anime/manga that would be considered drama I suppose. Even the television shows I choose to watch on a regular basis have drama elements. A common theme in these sorts of stories is relationships and interactions between people.
Something that is not uncommon in these stories and even in discussions with people in the real world is to hear them discuss previous relationships by saying “I felt so strongly about them before, but now I can barely remember their face,” or words with similar meaning.
It has gotten me thinking. This seems to be a common thing in society. It even shows strongly in the phrase “There are many fish in the sea,” a common statement of advise to people who have gone through a recent breakup.
To be blunt, I don’t understand this. It is unfathomable to me. It is an aspect of the human mind that bewilders me. I don’t understand it, it confuses me, and I find it a little sad. The reason I said above that it is a matter of paradigm is because I literally don’t have the experiences to relate.
I remember every person I ever fell in love with, even when it was unrequited. I remember their names. I remember their faces. I remember the day we met, and the day we said goodbye for the last time. It is as if these things were etched onto my soul as a record for all eternity.
I remember the people who touched me in that way, so the idea of someone simply forgetting a person that they were in a relationship with or that they once felt that they loved is alien to me.
The idea that a human being could forget these things brings tears to my eyes. People who were in my life for the briefest of moments are etched eternally on my soul, yet there are people who forget the face of those that they actively had relationships with.
I would like to think that this is a lie that people tell themselves: a coping mechanism. However, it seems so prevalent in our culture that I am not so sure.
Perhaps there is some difference in the way that I approach human interaction. Perhaps my mind assigns higher value to these things than some others. I don’t know.
I know that there really isn’t a lot of point to this post, but it is something that I have been thinking about quite a bit. If anyone has any comments or input, feel free to comment.