Adulting, No Thanks

April 15-21, 2019

By Cait Smith
caitlin@dailydata.com

Nostalgic moment

“Eighty-eight miles per hour!” shouted the bug-eyed, gray-haired Dr. Emmett “Doc” Brown from the infamous movie “Back to the Future.” There was a stunned look on both Doc’s and Marty McFly’s face when they saw that two-door DeLorean speed off into another dimension. 

If only time travel was real – I’d go back to 2005 and visit my grandfather. I wonder what an adult conversation would be like with him now that I’m 24 years old. Probably everyone would visit a loved one they’ve lost if time travel was readily available. 

But life isn’t a fairy-tale and there is no Doc, only Christopher Lloyd. DeLorean’s ceased operations in 1982 and I’m certain too much time travel would disrupt the space time continuum. I say all this to pose the question: Why am I so fixated on the past? 

A wise one will tell you to never dwell on the past, look towards the future. In some aspects, I agree with that, but I think as a human being you should always reflect on what happened. Those life lessons and experiences are what bring you the most joy.  

I can remember my first McDonald’s experience. My sister and I were seated in the back seat of my mom’s car. “You guys want happy meals?” my mom asked even though she knew what our answers would be. After handing us our golden-arched cardboard boxes, she instructed, “don’t open them in the car, wait until we get home.” Six-year-old eager me couldn’t help myself, I had to have a bite. I stuffed a hot fry into my little mouth. 

Till this day, every time I have McDonald’s, I think of that moment – me rebelling against my mom’s wishes and that soft, golden fry. 

As odd as it sounds (even though I’m sure it’s not) I like going down memory lane to cheer me up. For example, my grandfather was my favorite person in the entire world, so when I miss him, I’ll go through my grandmother’s scrapbooks to make me smile. 

A good friend of mine who now lives in Texas is but a phone call, facetime, or text away, but I still miss her at times. I always find myself revisiting my high school Facebook account – laughing until I cry at the video recordings of us getting into mischief. What a time to be alive. 

I hate when people say that the past is a reminder that bad things can happen. I beg to differ; I think the past is what makes us whole. Maybe my fixation with the past is why I’m so obsessed with ’80s movies.