From Shakespeare's As You Like It. Quite frankly, I hated it. I had an English teacher in the 11th grade. She was into this crap (so I called it back then and slowly learning to appreciate literature, I SAID SLOWLY).
The class has to memorize the full passage! She exclaimed it was the greatest comparative analysis of a stage and life, comparing it to the seven stages of a man's life: the infant, the schoolboy, the lover, the soldier, the justice, the pantaloon, and the second childhood.
I recall I passed missing only four words. What does this have to do with anything? The last time I heard or desired to hear that series of words was 1978, but lately, especially when I am alone lifting weights, doing yoga, or whatever I do when I drift off, it spins in my head over and over.
I have recently worked my way through many lines and decided to write them down to see what I got right. Then, I wanted to look it up to see if I was even close. So here is what I recalled, and then the bold/italic are words I missed, and words in "quotes" are words I incorrectly added:
All the world's a stage,
And all the men "are" and women merely players;
They have their exits and their entrances;
And one man in his time plays many parts,
His acts being seven ages. At first the infant,
Mewling and puking in the nurse's arms;
And then the whining school-boy, with his satchel
And shining morning face, creeping like snail
Unwillingly to school. And then the lover,
Sighing like "as hot as a" furnace
That is about all I recalled with any accuracy. I guess I did not remember as much as I thought, as I only made it to the lover!
What does that have to do with this blog or running? Absolutely nothing. But it does make me wonder why, as I get older, I have these recollections of decades ago—recollections I have not even cared about nor really want to relive. I'm not sure why, but I can not help but repeat to myself often during the day.
It may also have to do with a mid-life crisis mental exercise the close to 50-year-old mind plays on oneself. Made me recall the best mid-life crisis story I have ever heard. It goes:
A man who was married for over 25 years looks to his wife and says, "Honey, 25 years ago, I lived in a cheap apartment, had a car that barely ran, slept on a sofa bed or a floor, watched a black and white 12 inch TV but every night I slept with a hot 25-year-old blond! I have a great house, two great cars, several bedrooms with many nice beds, and a 50-inch Plasma TV, but I sleep with an average 50-year-old woman. So, Honey, I think you are not keeping up with the rest of the things in my life."
The wife turned to exclaim, "Go find the hot 25-year-old blond, and I will make sure you are living in a cheap apartment. I may not even let you have the car, and the sofa bed would be the best you could wish for..."
Could be reminiscing is not a good thing after all? But ...
All the worlds a stage...
Carry on my friends - Carry on!
1 comment:
Londell, you bring up an interesting observation about how when you get older you recall obscure events and things for no apparent reason. I've noticed the same thing. I particularly recall people and events from days long past when I'm running and my mind is very relaxed. It's almost as though you brain is performing some kind of memory dump. I tell ya, the human mind is a strange thing. BTW, thanks so much for taking care of my feet at Sugarloaf. It was great to see you out there. Take care, my friend and carry on!
Post a Comment