Deja Vu

Let me introduce myself to you before I start. My name is Time, yes, that’s right – Time. Haven’t you heard of me – all of you have experienced me. Some people believe that I am an illusion, but no – I am real, very real.

I am the one that waits for no one. I keep passing, I keep moving. I have never stopped – ever. And nobody can run ahead of me. People try to do so, by attempting to look into their “futures”, by making plans for what comes next, by thinking and worrying about the tomorrow that they really don’t have any control on. Don’t get me wrong – I am not suggesting that you as a human should stop planning for tomorrow. Yes, you should – I appreciate good planners, and more often than not, I come out most favorably to those who plan their tomorrows. But the fact is that only I can tell what exactly comes next. That’s why they say “Only time can tell!”

While I have come across a number of good planners and people who act on their plans without procrastination, I have seldom met people who actually realize my value. My value really lies in “moments”. While seconds, minutes and hours are my units, my value really is in the moments.

Okay, enough about me. Now let me introduce you to the main character in my story – Julie. Why is she the main character? Because I really like her – Julie is one of the most organized people I have ever come across – always plans ahead, never procrastinates and is usually ready for what comes next. She manages me, uh, I mean she manages her time really well. But like many of you, she is not very good at enjoying her moments. Moments – in which my real value lies. She does not realize that these moments will pass, and never return. I am afraid for Julie – I am afraid that it will be too late before she realizes it. I really want to help Julie – you see, I am really, really fond of her and her little daughter Elsa.

So, in order to help Julie I have decided to play a little game – a game that I like to call “Déjà vu”. Déjà vu is when you have a moment where you realize that you have already gone through a certain experience in the past. To me, it is real fun! I love to see people’s faces as they experience déjà vu.

Only in Julie’s case, I will make that happen by running really fast for Julie – so that she experiences her déjà vu moments from the future, right now – today. You want to join me as I do this? Come on, it will be fun! Let’s go to Julie’s house!

Okay we are here. Julie, her husband Mark and their daughter Elsa live in this 2 bedroom apartment in New York. Elsa is 4 years old and goes to school. Mark is a trader – he works really hard. Julie is the head of technology with a large publishing company in the city. Now let’s get in and see what they are up to this evening. I am sure Mark is not at home yet, and Julie has picked Elsa up from after-school day-care. Don’t hesitate, come on in – they cannot see us! Just keep watching.

Listen, Julie is calling Elsa to dinner. “Elsa dear, ready for dinner? Mommy has to work tonight, so let’s finish dinner soon and then I shall read you your story quickly, okay?”

Little Elsa always obeys, look how she joins her mother at the dining table. “Yes mommy. I am ready. Do you know what happened at school today? You have to hear this – it is so funny”

Julie is busy checking her messages and emails – she has to plan for her busy tomorrow. Uh oh – look, she is almost missing her moment. Well, let’s see what happens. Let’s listen to Elsa.

“Today we went to the park Mommy. And guess what we saw! We saw a mommy rabbit and a baby rabbit! The mommy was taking care of her baby, it was so cute! You know mommy, I fed them a little carrot! It was so much fun. You should have been there.”

Julie is nodding along, but looking at her phone. She is looking at her planner – organizing herself. She is very particular about it. Oh Julie, you have missed the moment!

“Mommy! Are you even listening to what I am saying?”

“Oops, sorry Elsa. I was not attentive. What’s that now? You saw a rabbit in the park?”

“I won’t repeat myself”

Well well, Elsa is right to be upset. She deserves attention. And silly Julie, in the midst of planning her hours for the next day, she has missed her moment today. Now come on let’s do something fun. Let’s run. Yes, you can come with me. I am going to run a lot faster and take Julie into the future – 10 years away. Ready? Get-set-go

Aha, look there’s Julie setting up the dinner table. ”Elsa, can you join for dinner please? I have to work late tonight, and I am sure you have to wake up early tomorrow”

Elsa is not responding. Come on, let’s go see what she is up to – there she is, on her bed with her phone. Ah, she has ear phones on, obviously she cannot hear her mom calling. Oh there comes Julie.

“Elsa, take those ear phones off now, and come to eat dinner”

Elsa looks up – “Okay sure, will be there in a sec. You can start”

Julie is waiting at the table. And here comes Elsa with her phone – probably she is chatting with a friend.

“Elsa, you know something funny? A colleague of mine at work just published a bunch of articles on rabbits! I happened to read one today and was so surprised with a few facts – did you know rabbits have a panoramic vision? They can view predators from all sides. And apparently rabbits need company of other rabbits – they get too lonely and bored otherwise”

Elsa is nodding along, but is constantly looking at her phone.

“Elsa, are you even listening to what I am saying?”

“Oops, sorry mom, I was not paying attention. You had a story – what was that? You read about rabbits? They taste good huh?”

“Never mind, I am not repeating myself”

Oh look, look at Julie’s face – she had a déjà vu moment there! Hasn’t this happened before? She is thinking. This is such fun! Don’t you agree? Come on, let’s do more of this. Let’s run again, and take Julie and Elsa further into the future – ten more years! Ready? Get set go!

Ah look what Julie’s up to. She is taking a walk in the park! She is looking old now, isn’t she? There she is sitting on a bench, let’s go join her. Look how she is browsing through some pictures on her phone – pictures of Elsa. Looks like Elsa doesn’t live with her any more. She is trying to call her now, but getting no answer.

Oh, what is she looking at, let’s take a look too. Wonderful! It is a couple of rabbits! A mother rabbit and a child rabbit! Julie seems to be enjoying the view, she is smiling to herself. It looks like she has learnt to live the moment. Now she is taking a picture. Yes, no wonder, she is sending it over to Elsa! Let’s see what happens next. 

The message is gone, I think. Ah there is a reply from Elsa – “I am in a meeting, will call you later”. Oh dear, the moment’s gone. But look at Julie’s face – it’s that déjà vu look again. Oh I am enjoying myself so much. I hope you are too. Shall we do a bit more of this? Don’t worry, nobody will know - I control them all anyway! Let’s run again and take Julie and Elsa further into the future – let’s go ten more years into the future. Are you ready? Get-set-go!

There is old Julie. Who is the little girl she is playing with? The little girl looks like Elsa, but that cannot be, Elsa must be thirty five years old already! Yes, you guessed it right – that is Elsa’s daughter Elise.

Let’s wait and watch what happens.

Okay, now Julie is getting the table ready for dinner. “Elise darling, can you come for dinner please? Your mommy will be here to pick you up in a few minutes. Let’s eat and be ready before she does”

Oh Elise is so obedient, here she comes. “Gramma, do you know what I saw at school today? It was so much fun! You want to hear about it?”

Look at Julie, she is all ears! “Of course darling, I want to hear all about it.”

“Well, we went to the park and there we saw a mommy rabbit and a baby rabbit. The mommy was taking care of the baby rabbit. I fed them a little carrot Gramma. It was so much fun!”

Hey look at Julie’s face now – it is that déjà vu look again. Come-on, accept that you are enjoying this as much as I am. Let’s wait a bit longer to see Elsa, shall we?

Ah the doorbell rings finally, it must be Elsa. And it is! “Hi mommy, hi little Elise. Ready to go?”

“No Elsa, wait. You have to hear this wonderful story that Elise has for us. She has had the nicest experience at school today – and I want you to hear it right now”.

“Can we do this in the car?” Oh Elsa, what is the hurry!

“No you may not my dear. I want to hear this once again with you” Oh poor Julie. She wants to have the moment once again. Okay, let’s give it to her.

“Okay, sure. Elise tell mommy your story”. Look, Julie is taking Elsa’s phone away.

“Today we went to the park Mommy. And guess what we saw! We saw a mommy rabbit and a baby rabbit! The mommy was taking care of her baby, it was so cute! You know mommy, I fed them a little carrot! It was so much fun. You should have been there.”

Hey, look at both their faces – Julie and Elsa, I think both of them have had the déjà vu moment. Poor Julie has tears – I think she has learnt her lesson. I think she will be more careful moving forward. Let me take them back now, shall I?

How about you? Would you like to come back to the present too? Or do you want to stay here? Don’t worry, I will take you back – I know you want to live all those moments and more, I shall not take them away from you. So are you ready? Get-set-go.

Ah here we are – there’s Julie still at the dining table and Elsa finishing her dinner.

“Please Elsa, I want to hear the rabbit story. Please can you repeat it? I promise I will always be attentive, I really promise. I mean it. But please tell me the story again darling.” Look at Julie pleading. And she has thrown her phone away on to the sofa!

I think Elsa has forgiven her mommy. “Okay, I will not repeat again, so listen carefully. Today we went to the park. And guess what we saw! We saw a mommy rabbit and a baby rabbit! The mommy was taking care of her baby, it was so cute! You know mommy, I fed them a little carrot! It was so much fun. You should have been there.”

“That is so wonderful Elsa. Would you like to go to the park this Sunday and look at the rabbits again? I would really want to see them myself too. Would you go with me please?”

“Sure mommy I’ll go with you.

Mommy, I just heard somewhere that rabbits can see all around! I don’t know where I heard it, but I did.”