When Will Then Be Now?
The question of “when will then be now” is not uncommon along a given path.
The other night, we were watching Mel Brooks’ Spaceballs.
There is a fantastic scene in the movie where Dark Helmet (Rick Moranis) and Col. Sanders (George Wyner) — while searching for the protagonists — turn to Spaceballs: The Video Tape to find them.
During this scene, confused by seeing themselves “now” on the video screen, They have the following exchange.
“Everything that happens now is happening now.
What happened to then?
We passed it.
When?
Just now. We’re at now, now.
Go back to then!
When?
Now.
Now?
Now!
We can’t.
Why?
We missed it.
When?
Just now.
When will then be now?
Soon!”
While this is hilarious — it’s also a stunningly accurate description of how life works. Now is the only time that is really, truly real. We passed then just now — but then will be now soon.
Confusing? Of course it is. That’s because linear time is an illusion — yet we struggle to maintain something of a balance between the past, present, and future.
But the reality is that we can’t. Because now is the only now that is legit and for real.
