The Time Capsule: Lessons of Staying Young While Getting Old
I watch the most random movies on flights. But there was this movie called “The Time Capsule” that was intriguing.
The story is that in the near future, a politician named Jack escapes to his family’s summer lake house. His vacation and life is disrupted by the appearance of his first love Elise who has returned from a 20 year space journey and hasn’t aged a day having been in hibernation. What a premise.
They end up at this lake party one night and they have a very deep conversation as they catch up after so long. 20 years actually. A strange situation, reliving his past again.
Jack: “I mean if you want to get the job, you got to do the bull sh-t. And that goes for everything, not just politics.”
Elise: “You sound like a bitter old man.”
Jack: “There is a reason people get that way. I mean if I knew then what I know now.”
I remember a conversation:
Jack: “What do you want to do? What do you want to do? Driving, talking, nothing to do. Sigh. Now there is always something to do.”
Elise: “I remember you said to me “try to be what other people want you to be but if you lie about who you are it won’t matter.
It’s weird as I’ve only been back for a little while but I’ve managed to meet some of my old friends. And they all say the same things: ‘you’ll see.’ ‘You’ll learn’. It’s sad. Everyone looks tired, distracted like they had a dream and lost it. Even if they never had one to lose.”
Jack responds: “but people have children and responsibilities.”
Elise: “It’s not that. They just seem content to be disappointed.”
Jack: “well as you get older, disappointments add up, you start to expect more of it.”
Elise: “Don’t you wish you could have kept your excitement for life when you were younger?”
Jack: “It’s easier to be excited about life when it’s all in front of you.”
Elise: “you should be even more passionate about life cause there is less of it left. You are just like the rest of them, used to be cool but now you’re boring and jaded.”
It’s an excellent reminder.
Sometimes you need a break in your life. Nostalgia attached to people and places is powerful. Old friendships are important. The past can also sometimes help you figure out your future. Help you rediscover your old zest for life that we all used to have as young kids.
But you just have to be yourself. You can’t lie to yourself. You can never hide. Hiding from your dreams is what makes you old. It’s what causes you deep regret. “Somewhere along the way it became about playing a part and getting to the next level.”
By being yourself, having passion, taking risks and being willing to put yourself out there. That is how you get the most out of life. Have expectations and don’t settle. “So go out and live. Travel. Meet people. Discover yourself. You may think you already know who you are but sometimes it takes getting a little lost to know for sure.”