Bottled Time - The Art of Being Remembered

We here at Hook Central have been undergoing some outdoor construction. Our old patio has recently been excavated and a new one formed in its place. I kept wondering if there would be any exciting treasures discovered in the process - not like gold or diamonds or cash - though that wouldn't have been such a bad thing - but more in the way of an artifact from days gone by. Yet all we found was a dirty old comb. Excitement level - 0.

So I thought, here's my chance to leave my mark. Now, I'm hopeful that the books I've written will act as a placeholder for my life long after I'm gone. Yet, I imagined how cool it would be to have someone, the next person to own our house maybe 100 years from now, decide to tear down the gorgeous new steps we just had built, and discover a note rolled up neatly inside a bottle.

 In case you're wondering...here's what it said:

I don’t suppose I’ll ever know if this note goes on to be unearthed and subsequently read. A voice buried deep within a cocktail of concrete and dirt isn’t one destined to be heard. Yet I’d be remiss, at this moment in time, if I didn’t seize the opportunity, and etch out some small fraction of tangible posterity. In the long run it may not make a difference one way or another, but it’s something inherently human, to want to be remembered, isn’t it?

The steps surrounding this letter were built in August of 2013, along with this patio, for the sake of our family being able to further enjoy the gorgeous backyard view you’ve by now come to appreciate. In case you’re curious as to what a project like this goes for these days, I’ve written the cost on the reverse side of this page. Warning: you may prefer to be seated while reading that one. I know my boyfriend did.  Yes, it’s a pretty penny indeed. (Nobody actually still uses that expression, so I’m not sure why I put it that way.) Phrases change. Vernacular is reshaped with each generation and before you know it you have an entirely new language to learn. I imagine by now technology has brought its fair share of changes too. The way you get from point A to B is different I’m certain, as is the onslaught of entertainment options. Know this: Jaws and The Sound of Music are still two of the best movies ever made. That may be considered a matter of opinion, I know. Believe me, as a writer I am intimately familiar with the definition of subjectivity (see also: rejection.) The reality of life right now is that the internet and cell phones have altered the way we communicate. They have expanded our universe and shortened our attention span. The art of conversation has morphed into a virtual type-fest and is often limited to 140 characters (research Twitter for a broader explanation of this one.)

However, the greater issues have and I suspect will always remain the same. Love is still vastly popular and most often misunderstood. Health and Happiness have retained their spot as two of the most sought-after states, followed closely by Hope. Family Relations are ever grounded in equal parts comfort and complication. Some things, I guess, are impervious to the revisions of life.

Speaking of family, my plan is that ours - those of us who inhabit this home right now, will come and go from these steps a million times over. My wish is that we’ll be here long enough to see our grandbabies climb them and hover close to be careful they don’t fall.

When the day comes that we’ve moved on, somebody will know that we were here, and that we loved this house.

And with any luck, for whatever its worth we will be remembered.

That, my friends, is how we bottle time, here at Hook Central.

 Louise Caiola writes YA and NA contemporary fiction, mystery, romance and drama. Be sure to visit her website: www.louisecaiola.com