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Time Travel

Zeruda

Mother Hyrule
Joined
May 17, 2009
Location
on a crumbling throne
I've heard this question before and have considered how I would answer... really, I'm one that believes that everything happens for a reason. No, I don't mean destiny or fate, because I don't believe in that, but I do believe that things happen because of the choices we make, and those choices greatly effect us down the road. I am the person I am today because of the choices I made and experiences I had in the past, and I'm extremely proud of who I am-- faults and all.

Given the option of using a time machine, would I go into the past and relive my life or make changes? Maybe, maybe not. I'm unsure. Like anybody else, I've had my fair share of hardships and I've made plenty mistakes. There are instances of my past where, had I chosen a different path, some parts of my current life might be changed for the better; however, there are also many good memories and experiences I have that, if I made a good choice where I had previously made a bad one, I probably wouldn't have some of those good memories or experiences.

When my duty in the Army was done, my Granny had recently taken a fall. My brother had been around that day, and when he heard her calls from the other room, he ignored her because he thought she was just doing her usual nagging. When he eventually found that she had fallen and hurt herself, he was mortified and blamed it all on himself. My Granny was hospitalized and would have made a full recovery had one of the nurses not dropped her on the hard floor and injured her further.

It was at this point that my now fiance, who I had met through the internet, bought me a ticket to visit him in Pennsylvania on the opposite side of the country. I visited, and he and his mother asked me to stay. I knew my Granny's condition. My dad warned me that she wouldn't last much longer. I made a mistake: Granny was terrified of dying, and she wanted me around. Instead of being with her, and instead of helping my brother realize it wasn't his fault, I chose to stay in PA. I thought, "Oh, they'll be alright."

They weren't. My Granny died only about two weeks later. My brother took a hard mental hit, and here I was, livin' it up with my honey. It was a big, big mistake.

But, if I had a time machine, would I go back and change things? No, no I would not. Because of my mistake, I learned many lessons. I learned to appreciate life more and I learned to pay more attention to those who loved me. I learned that I need to cherish what moments I do have. My fiance has a brain/cancer-- if I hadn't experienced the issue with my Granny, I probably wouldn't be taking the time to truly cherish what I have now, because who knows how long he could last? I learned that people depend on me, and I have responsibilities that need to be taken care of. I learned that people like my brother learn from my actions.

If I had just visited and then gone back home, I don't think my relationship would exist right now. I'd never have got into the gaming industry. I probably wouldn't be living independently. I wouldn't be the responsible person I am today.

Maybe I'm answering this question a little too seriously, but it's something I've thought about a lot. So.... if I did have a chance to relive my life- the good and the bad- then maybe I'd do it.... but I wouldn't change a thing.
 

February Eve

ZD District Attorney
Joined
Mar 21, 2010
Location
USA
If I had to go back and time, I'd probably tell myself to be more athletic in high school. My family never placed a big priority, and I think I missed out on getting the "team" experience during some of my formative years. I also think it influenced my (lack of) fitness as an adult.

Of course, along the same lines as what Zeruda says, who knows what may have happened if I had. Perhaps I would have injured myself and made it impossible to play a sport in the future. Still, it's a lesson for the future I ever have kids - I'm not going to push them into sports, but I'm going to be supportive of any interest they show no matter their natural ability.

Also, I lived in Japan for a couple years, and I wish I had visited more places while I was there. At least this gives me a reason to visit again, though. :)
 

Master Kokiri 9

The Dungeon Master
Joined
Aug 19, 2009
Location
My ship that sailed in the morning
Extremely wise words

Agreed Zeruda. Things happen for a reason and both the good and bad things shape us. Basically speaking, I don't want to make my bad times good times which will erase all the good times I had.

But, I'd definately relive a lot of things. I'd relive my early years of gaming (back when I was three) to have the same good times I had beating Aladdin and my cherished mornings of playing SMB3 with my mom. I'd also relive my days of when Gen III was the main focus in Pokemon.
 

TreeHuggerPanda

The tree hugger of Hyrule
I think I'll re-live my 4th and 5th grade year, thank you very much. They were like the best years of my life so far. Awesomely awesome teachers, awesome family vacations, (going to Canada:D, which I don't go on vacations very often, except NYC and DC) going to the best religious summer camp ever, (my family is really religious, but I try to avoid church when I can and really, it wasn't that religious, it was more fun) meeting one of my best friends... (she moved in in the fourth grade, into the old house of my other best friend... it's a long story...) and more gaming in Zelda... yeah, good times... but I'd tell myself to try to not make stupid mistakes and not to worry about 5th grade graduation, because that was my biggest fear of not going back to elementary school and living in stress and homework (aka, 6th grade... stupid lit. teacher...)
 

Meego

~Dancer in the Dark~
Joined
Jan 30, 2010
Location
England
I would have never quitted dance school when I was five then I would be in a really good grade by now... I would probably undo all the arguments I had and stuff like that.
 

Shadsie

Sage of Tales
Very interesting story, Zeruda... and I'm able to see "miracles in the mundane" with a lot of things, including a lot of my mistakes. For instance, I wouldn't go back in time to catch myself falling down the stairs like I did recently - I had pain and inconvience, but I learned a lot from it, so it's a painful experience I'm actually glad happened.

However, I think that if I could get ahold of my teenage or even younger self and say "Okay, kid, you are bioplar. Now, I know, I know, you've been denying the symptoms becuase your brother has that and he's an asshole, but trust me you *aren't* an asshole, you aren't like him, GET TREATED," I think my life could have been significantly better. I think I would have had at least a slightly a better time of it (maybe been able to keep a non-charity given job) if I'd been drugged from an early age.

Now, now, suffering and pain are what fuels art and writing for me... sometimes. I think some of my work - particularly my original wiriting work - is as rich as it is because of what I suffer and what I have suffered. My unique experiences become my work. However, if I don't get my work published and known, if my voice fails to get out there, then the pain of my past experiences pretty well mean nothing today, and yes, I think me with a Time Machine just might try to change things, even if it meant the prospect of current-me fading from existance as a result. (And I'm *terrified* of non-existance).

Maybe if I ever get power/money one day, I'll use my experiences to crusade for mental health awareness. If this happens, yeah, maybe some good has come from my life.
 
T

Tyler

Guest
I would fix mistakes I've made in my life. Then again, that could dramatically affect present-day
 

Ninten*

BLOOOOOOOO
Joined
Dec 16, 2009
Location
United States
Gender
Attack helicopter
Well I would change the fact that I would have broken my Rubik's Cube. By that I mean the pieces have broken off. I would also go to where I last put MKDS so I wouldn't have lost it. But it could be hard to not let past me see present me. Good thing I had dinner at Chilie's.
 
S

splashmans

Guest
i would like to be a kid again...live my life...again..... :)
If you had a time machine would you re-live anything in your life?...

Maybe you did something you regret or want to do again...?

Me?
I want to re-live going to kingswood in year six Good times:lol:
 
H

Hyrulianking

Guest
I would go back to a day at the beginning of October last year, when I was running cross country, an re-run a race that we won. cross country teams are scored by taking the places of their top five to finish, and adding up the score. I was 15 yards away from the finish line, and I was my teams fifth person and I was right behind another team's fifth person, whom I had been following the entire time. I was crying because at that point I was in severe pain, but everyone on my team was yelling at me to get that one guy, so I sprinted past him right there at the finish line. There was less than a second's space between our times, but because I was able to pass him, we won. I have never felt as satisfied about how I did in something as I did that day. And it's real proof that if you keep you eyes on your goal, and work hard, it will pay off.
 
Joined
Feb 22, 2010
Location
Washington
I would go back to freshman year in high school! I know that the year everyone thinks thats a bad year and freshman friday stuff like that. But my year was great and those times were great!! :) :) :)
 
O

OrlovYan

Guest
Time traveling is cool, but I wouldn't do it, humans tand to make mistakes, and a time travaling human might **** up everything and everyone, creating paradoxes etc...
 
C

Cincoplation

Guest
Well i think it might be possible in theory but i dont think human technology is capable of that. In theory if you where to get into a ship that goes at 99% the speed of light time for you would go slower than time for the people out of the ship. If you where to observe the people from the ship you would see them going alot faster than normal because the time your experienceing would be much slower. If you where to stay there for a year and come back to earth everyone you knew would either be really old or dead.
 

Kybyrian

Joined
Jan 31, 2008
Location
Amherst, MA
Gender
Didn't I already answer this one?
Well i think it might be possible in theory but i dont think human technology is capable of that. In theory if you where to get into a ship that goes at 99% the speed of light time for you would go slower than time for the people out of the ship. If you where to observe the people from the ship you would see them going alot faster than normal because the time your experienceing would be much slower. If you where to stay there for a year and come back to earth everyone you knew would either be really old or dead.

You must have been watching the same program as my uncle, was it perhaps on a month or so ago?

Anyway, time travel. I believe it could really be possible, but man, I hope it doesn't come around. Just think about all the things time travel could do. We'd rip the universe a new one. Imagine everybody being able to travel back and forth through time, just doing whatever they please. When you think of it that way, you already know that if it ever comes up the best thing to do is kill yourself, or join in and kill George W. Bush's ancestors.
 

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