I once heard a sort of poetic idea that if there is a heaven, maybe it's just the opportunity to relive different parts of your life over again. So, if you had an awesome life, you'd have lots to go back to. If you didn't, well, meh. It was kind of motivational. FOCUS: If you could relive a day (or days) in your life - but not change anything - which ones would they be, and why?
I was in the Virgin Islands once. I met a girl. We ate lobster, drank piña coladas. At sunset, we made love like sea otters. That was a pretty good day. I'd like to have that day over and over again.
Probably the most cliche answer ever but, my semester abroad in London. I was lucky enough to have an awesome roommate who is still one of my closest friends today. Met The One That Got Away. She was the probably the hottest girl I've ever dated and damn smart to boot. Problem was she stayed there for two semesters and me only one so the time apart after we had only been together for a couple of months just didn't work. (Still think about how things could have been different had a couple of variables been slightly different). Met a whole bunch of awesome people. Only had class Monday-Wednesday so every weekend was 4 days long which led to weekend trips to a whole bunch of other European cities. If we didn't go somewhere, we were still young enough to party 4 nights straight and still not feel any ill-effects. And I still pulled off a 4.0 somehow, my only 4.0 ever. It was just....perfect.
Definitely the two days I spent with my son at Schlitterbahn in New Braunfels. The biggest waterpark in Texas, and it uses natural water from the Comal river, so there is none of that pesky chlorine to mess things up. Totally awesome.
My senior year of undergrad. Man, that was one helluva party. Limiting it to just one day though, it would be my wedding day. Kick-ass party where a bunch of people gave us tons of cash, lots of sex that night, and the anticipation of traveling to Europe the next day. Wouldn't change a thing (except maybe adding some zeroes to some of the checks).
I must have had a pretty good life because I can think of several right away that I would have no problem living over again, and in thinking about them a LOT more spring to mind. In no particular order: The day I made my first hit at bat during a game when I played little league baseball. I was 10 and always had a problem hitting until this one game. I remember looking at the pitcher and his smug face and for the first time in my life thinking and feeling "fuck you I can do this" and feeling that first determined swell of confidence. I remember every detail like it was yesterday because in my head it's all in slow motion. The sting in my hands when I connected with the bat, seeing the ball rocket toward left field and watching the fielder dive and miss, the, look exited shock and joy on my coaches face as he yelled at me to run, being completely in shock that I made it to second, and my mother being so happy after the game that I finally made a hit. The day of my second date with my wife. We went to Port Jefferson and it was like we were in a bubble floating around the people. Every second of every day of my honeymoon. The last day of our vacation to the outer banks last year when I spent the morning on the beach with my son looking for shells. The day my brother and I found a gold mine of old 45s in this old guys garage in Levittown and we stood in the bone chilling cold sorting through them laughing at all the bargains we were getting. Nearly every 4th of July from age 14 to 25 There are countless more days I would gladly relive.
There are a couple of days that I recall for very different reasons. Spoilered for length- Spoiler July '04- I was hitting my stride as a horse trainer. I had an appointment with a snotty Saddlebred breeder. She wasn't sure I could "handle" the job. I roll up her driveway slowly in my Jeep, taking in the sheer perfection of the property. Huge brick mansion, perfectly manicured pastures and two immaculate barns. My heart is knocking in my chest, I have so much at stake for this contract. She greets me at the barn, looking me up and down. I am already dusty from previous appointments, my baseball hat is soaked with sweat. She leads me to a stall, the liver colored stud hangs away from the gate with his ears pinned. She says he's been broken to ride but remains a dangerous asshole. She has to show him for people to want his stud services. Something in her demeaner makes me want to bite her, too. She leaves me there to go take a seat in the arena bleachers. I breathe in deeply and enter the stall. He turns his butt to me and raises his back hoof, warning. Bluffing. I smack him on the rump with the lead rope, make him move everytime he is disrespectful. After a few minutes, he is listening. I halter him and lead him to the arena on a loose lead. I sense the owners surprise as we easily enter, the stud is paying close attention to me. We do some groundwork and I saddle him once I am satisfied. I finally mount. He pins his ears and starts to twist, one last fight. I anticipate him and pop him with the reins on his ass again. He bolts. I collect him and start doing drills( gaited horse stuff). He decides I know what is going on and that it's easier to listen. We complete our ride, my spirit soaring as it always does when I find harmony with a horse. The owner waits for me to put him away and finally speaks. "The last trainer I had out here refused to ride him. Well done." She hands me a check for $5,000. To cover the month. She has a few clients she wants me to meet. The rest of the day was felt so high, I was finally in sync with myself. In 6 months, I will get knocked up and have to give my business up, but I don't know that yet. and the other- Spoiler It would be cliche to say having my kids was the greatest day, being pregnant sucked, the delivery sucks, having everyone look at the baby sucks, etc. However, my kids have brought me a great deal of joy. A great day was just recently, we went hiking with Mr.P. I was so impressed with how much my kids tried, they are four and five, and they kept up with us easily. The Colorado sky was perfect, the trees were rich in color, and we were all so happy that day. I hung back and watched my boys and Mr P chase grass snakes, marvelling at their connection. Their bio dad is so inferior to Mr. P, he explains things to them so patiently. We had packed a lunch and we had a picnic by the creek atop a giant boulder. It was just so peaceful...
I would probably pick October 28, 1995. It was a Saturday, which already makes it a good day. (I found out the day before, that I was getting a large raise at the company I was at a the time, which put me in a good mood.) My father and I went to the Braves v Indians World Series game, the weather was great, we drove up to Atlanta early, ate lunch at the Varsity, got to the park early, and generally had some great father-son time. And, that was the game (6) that the Braves won the WS 1-0 on a David Justice home run, with Tom Glavine pitching. Just awesome. Now that my dad is in such poor health, I've probably mythologized the memory a bit, but that's okay with me.
Is it wrong that I immediately though of going back to days prior to losing a loved one or beloved pet rather than some happy place? I'd go back to the day before I lost the person that influenced my life more than anyone else, my Grandma. I'd just spend it being near her, hospital or not, that'd be enough. I'd also go back to the days before I had to put my young Dobie down and when my ex stole another (separate occasions). I'd shank that fuckstick. God damn I'm in a foul mood. Looking at the good stuff, the day I graduated. It was a perfect day.
This is a very interesting thought you bring up, Shegirl. Would I pick a beautiful day I would want to relive with a loved one lost, or pick a wonderful day with my ex that ended in great sex, so that I could stab her in the vagina with a steel wool covered knife, rub salt in the wound, and then have my dog eat her face while I laugh in the corner (planning what I was going to do the next day)? I'm truly torn... FOCUS: I'd relive the day I got my first blowjob (high school). Everything was epic about it to me (school, party, etc.), but ho-hum to anybody else.
The long weekend that I spent camping at my aunt's farm. We had this huge treasure hunt that ended in a giant treasure chest filled with toys, t-shirts from the movie my aunt worked on, and candy. Other things we did that weekend involved puppet shows, smores, and hiking. I was about 11 at the time, which made it especially amazing.
I would want to relive tomorrow over and over and over and over, as long as the Panthers don't draft motherfucking Cam godfuckingdamnit Newton.
I'd relive my 10th birthday. July 7th, 1992. I was living with my aunt, uncle and 2 cousins and younger brother. We started that day with an epic water fight with a Slip and Slide in the backyard, ending with a barbecue, chocolate cake and vanilla ice cream. Gifts included a Super Soaker 150, Super Mario Bros. 3, and other various stuff I can't remember. I only remember Super Mario 3 because I was almost never got new video games and was only allowed to play when going outside wasn't an option. That night, I got to play until I couldn't stay awake anymore. My best friend and I played that damned game until midnight.
Man, there's a couple things but I would love to go back to about any random Summer day when I was a kid and my friends and I were doing whatever it was we did back then. Those days should come towards the end of one's life so you have something to look forward to.
Five years old. Back before my grandmother's mind wasted away, and long before I became so jaded and distrusting. There was just a happy, carefree innocence to everything at that age.