These words still exist

When I was young, maybe 16 years old, my father came to me and said:

“These words I’m speaking, all the silly stories and tidbits of advice – I’m not speaking them for the void. I’m not putting them out there into nothingness just for the sake of it – I’m speaking them into minds, and matter, and flesh. That way, no matter how much time passes, or if I cease to exist, or if humanity as a whole does, my words will live on; maybe not in their original form, maybe not in the minds I initially spoke them for, but as information. As fluctuations in an ever changing system of systems. And like me, you too have the power to influence this system. Like me, you too have the ability to speak – not into nothingness, but into a world – into billions of other minds that inadvertently will keep your words alive, not as words, but as electrical signals, as memories, as wrinkles in the very fabric of space and time.”

And as time went on I began pondering more and more on the true meaning of his words; and, not long ago, I realized that the very fact I’m still thinking about them proves his point – even though that happened many years ago his words and the information they hold still exist – up until this point only in my mind, and now, as you’re reading this, in yours too, – and they will continue to exist, perpetually. And even though at some point in my life I might forget them, even then, they will still exist through the sheer fact that they’ve impacted my life, and that I might’ve impacted others because of them. Even then, my actions will speak of my father’s words. Had my father not said that to me, my whole life could’ve been completely different, hell, the lives of everyone around me might’ve been completely different. Had he not told me his thoughts that day I might’ve not even been around right now to tell you about them. And that is the kicker, whether I like them or not, whether they turned me into a better person or not, I can’t deny that they do – in fact – still exist, and will continue to exist up until Life meets Death at the end of time – until this universe gets old and then young again. Only then will the void finally have my father’s words.

And you – who are reading this, – and us – who are still alive, – we have to remember that even though sometimes we feel like we don’t matter, like our tiny life is nothing but a speck of dust on the history of our species, the world of tomorrow would be completely different had we stopped existing, had we not spoken another word, had we not taken another breath. And when we feel powerless we have to remember that even a thought, even a word, even getting up in the morning, will fundamentally change this fever dream we call reality – for us, and for everyone else – and whether that change is for the better or for the worse… that is up to us.

May your future actions speak of the past with joy rather than sorrow, with good deeds rather than harm, and with hope rather than fear, friend.