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Strange Musings
Mar. 24th, 2006 09:18 amDo you ever have these moments when something truly mundane occurs but it leaves you thinking on a more universal and psychological plane?
Well, something like that happened to me yesterday afternoon in my education school class. We were all sitting around doing our thing preparing for a pop quiz and all of a sudden it went pitch black. I mean *pitch* black. I've been around when lights have gone out, but until you experience it in a classroom with closed doors and no windows, you ain't seen nuthin yet. It was strangely unnerving and many of the girls let out a shocked squeal, including this nice girl next to me. She freaked and grabbed for my arm; wanting to give some comfort, I grabbed her arm back. Blind and for the moment a little freaked out and confused, we sat there with our arms linked against whatever was going on (knowing this town, a gentle breeze must have ruffled the electricity wires). Moments later the generators must have kicked in and we got power to the rooms. We all sat there nervously laughing, embarrassed that we were so freaked out about everything going black in the building. It was probably nothing, but the more I thought about it, I realized that it had had a profound affect on me.
In that moment of uncertainty, of fear and confusion, another human being had reached out and grabbed on for comfort, no matter that we knew each other through a class that meets once a week. Rather than being caged in the flesh, I had this one brief moment of unity, of solidarity and connection with someone relatively unknown. I've never suffered with a large group through a crisis before (not that this was one, mind you..but bear with my metaphors here) and never understood the power of connection between strangers against an unknown assailant. I'm at pains to describe how I felt, knowing that there was someone out there that looked to me for strength, that I could in turn, return comfort and provide the sought strength. I have always loved being of help or support to others; hell, I think I'm probably the queen of giving unasked-for advice. This time, in this brief moment of innocuous darkness, I think I understood how we can become one as human beings, independent of gender, race, etc. even as strangers. In the same breath, I also recognized how isolated we all are in this world.
Naturally, every action has its equal and opposite reaction. Metaphorically speaking, I suppose I had a moment of discovering a burden that I didn't know existed until I felt it removed. We truly go through lives trapped in the cage of the flesh, looking away from people on the street in fear rather than smiling at them. I found that I missed that feeling of connection when it was gone. Strange it feels to miss the world being dark for a moment. Strange to have a moment of clarity and universal wisdom in a room black as tar.
Perhaps I should blame this bit of cerebral verbage on my current obsession with V. In all honesty, my experience reminds me a great deal of Valerie's note to V:
"I don't know who you are. Or whether you're a man or a woman. I may never see you or cry with you or get drunk with you. But I love you. I hope that you escape this place. I hope that the world turns and that things get better, and that one day people have roses again. I wish I could kiss you. ..."
Well, something like that happened to me yesterday afternoon in my education school class. We were all sitting around doing our thing preparing for a pop quiz and all of a sudden it went pitch black. I mean *pitch* black. I've been around when lights have gone out, but until you experience it in a classroom with closed doors and no windows, you ain't seen nuthin yet. It was strangely unnerving and many of the girls let out a shocked squeal, including this nice girl next to me. She freaked and grabbed for my arm; wanting to give some comfort, I grabbed her arm back. Blind and for the moment a little freaked out and confused, we sat there with our arms linked against whatever was going on (knowing this town, a gentle breeze must have ruffled the electricity wires). Moments later the generators must have kicked in and we got power to the rooms. We all sat there nervously laughing, embarrassed that we were so freaked out about everything going black in the building. It was probably nothing, but the more I thought about it, I realized that it had had a profound affect on me.
In that moment of uncertainty, of fear and confusion, another human being had reached out and grabbed on for comfort, no matter that we knew each other through a class that meets once a week. Rather than being caged in the flesh, I had this one brief moment of unity, of solidarity and connection with someone relatively unknown. I've never suffered with a large group through a crisis before (not that this was one, mind you..but bear with my metaphors here) and never understood the power of connection between strangers against an unknown assailant. I'm at pains to describe how I felt, knowing that there was someone out there that looked to me for strength, that I could in turn, return comfort and provide the sought strength. I have always loved being of help or support to others; hell, I think I'm probably the queen of giving unasked-for advice. This time, in this brief moment of innocuous darkness, I think I understood how we can become one as human beings, independent of gender, race, etc. even as strangers. In the same breath, I also recognized how isolated we all are in this world.
Naturally, every action has its equal and opposite reaction. Metaphorically speaking, I suppose I had a moment of discovering a burden that I didn't know existed until I felt it removed. We truly go through lives trapped in the cage of the flesh, looking away from people on the street in fear rather than smiling at them. I found that I missed that feeling of connection when it was gone. Strange it feels to miss the world being dark for a moment. Strange to have a moment of clarity and universal wisdom in a room black as tar.
Perhaps I should blame this bit of cerebral verbage on my current obsession with V. In all honesty, my experience reminds me a great deal of Valerie's note to V:
"I don't know who you are. Or whether you're a man or a woman. I may never see you or cry with you or get drunk with you. But I love you. I hope that you escape this place. I hope that the world turns and that things get better, and that one day people have roses again. I wish I could kiss you. ..."
