Guest guest Posted March 10, 2006 Report Share Posted March 10, 2006 You are eight years old. It is a Sunday evening. You have been granted an extra hour before bed. The family is playing Monopoly. You have been told that you are big enough to join them. You lose. You are losing continuously. Your stomach cramps with fear. Nearly all your possessions are gone. The money pile in front of you is almost gone. Your brothers are snatching all the houses from your streets. The last street is being sold. You have to give in. You have lost. There is sweat on your forehead. You feel sick to you stomach. Dizzy with anxiety. And then, out of nowhere, suddenly, a realization appears: you know that it is only a game. You jump up with joy and you knock over the big lamp. It falls on the floor and drags the teapot with it. The others are angry with you but you laugh when you go upstairs. You know you are nothing, and you know that you have nothing. And you know that not-to-be and not-to-have give an immeasurable freedom. Later, the feeling goes, but you remember that you had it. You know that when you were eight years old, you knew freedom. ~ From " The Empty Mirror " by Jan Willem Van de Wetering. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted March 10, 2006 Report Share Posted March 10, 2006 Love that, Andy. Thanks for sharing it. My eight year old self remembers that. > > You are eight years old. It is a Sunday evening. You have been > granted an extra hour before bed. > > The family is playing Monopoly. You have been told that you are big > enough to join them. > > You lose. You are losing continuously. Your stomach cramps with > fear. Nearly all your possessions are gone. The money pile in front > of you is almost gone. Your brothers are snatching all the houses > from your streets. The last street is being sold. You have to give > in. You have lost. There is sweat on your forehead. You feel sick > to you stomach. Dizzy with anxiety. > > And then, out of nowhere, suddenly, a realization appears: you know > that it is only a game. You jump up with joy and you knock over the > big lamp. It falls on the floor and drags the teapot with it. The > others are angry with you but you laugh when you go upstairs. > > You know you are nothing, and you know that you have nothing. And > you know that not-to-be and not-to-have give an immeasurable freedom. > > Later, the feeling goes, but you remember that you had it. You know > that when you were eight years old, you knew freedom. > > > ~ From " The Empty Mirror " by Jan Willem Van de Wetering. > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted March 10, 2006 Report Share Posted March 10, 2006 > > You are old. You have been granted a bed. > > The family is playing Mono. You have been told that you are big > enough to join losing stomach cramps with pile. Your brothers are being sold. You have to give sweat. You feel a knock on the floor and are free. > > Later you remember you knew Jan Wandering. > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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