Question Marks
There are a number of things I at times query about, simple, perhaps nonsensible, or complicated things; most are unanswered.
I have always wondered why streets and highways get immediately and heavily congested when rain falls. Is it because of the slippery-when-wet phenomenon that’s why motorists decelerate causing heavy traffic? Is it the jeepney drivers almost fully making a complete halt in the middle of the road looking for a good catch?
Why do acquainted, casual, or even formal friends when they come across each other along the street or at the alley have this awkward feeling and look? It seems they are having this who-says-hi-first, who-sees-who-first kind of thoughts? Uncomfortably, they look for the right timing in uttering their greetings then walk away, maybe after a few chit-chats. Is it because their friendships are not closely attached? One wouldn’t behave like so with a close pal, I believe.
Every time I am off the road bound to a place for the first time, passing through an unfamiliar route, I always have this feeling of longer hours returning home compared to the time I spend travelling towards my destination; when in fact I pass through same the hi-way! I have no single idea why.
The tip-of-the-tongue phenomenon, I am certain most people experience such. This, I have a sensible answer. When one frantically pushes hard to remember one thing, as a person’s name, the brain is stressed out disallowing smooth blood flow, resulting to less optimum brain cell performance. Ironically, when one no longer thinks of that specific thing, then comes the name popping out abruptly. This is because the brain at that time is relaxed. One secret of good information retrieval is relaxation; obviously opposite to the traditional student way of remembering information –- with colliding of eyebrows, chinking of the eyes, biting of lips, and at times, gnashing of teeth. If one is desperate enough, there will also be pulling of the hair, and hitting of the head! Relaxation would never thrive with these habits.
I have experienced a couple of times this scene of entering the house or a room to get or do something when suddenly, with no clear reason, I basically forget why I’m there in the first place! But amazingly, with a few, slow-motion back steps, I remember! It’s like my brain is rewinding into an unknown dimension just to catch the information I need. Is it some kind of short-term memory? I supposed so; but the moving backwards, that I wonder why and how it happens.
The renowned dejavu, mysterious and intriguing, some say it has a connection with our pre-earth life; that we have already gone through all of these experiences before, during our existence unknown to some, and in an inexplicable occurrence, we say “I think I have been here before, I think we have met before somewhere, I think this happened to me before.” Dejavu literally means “already seen,” but is it really possible that we do know; we may just perhaps have gone through something which erases our memory?
Indeed there are many things in this mortal life that are beyond our capacity to comprehend; be it plain or complex. This is one of the reasons why we are here, to convert question marks to exclamation points; to find out mysteries, gain wisdom for our growth and learning.
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Wow! That’s a whole lot of information and you seem so eloquent about it. I might have to read it again to be able to give you some input. My opinion though about the street getting heavily congested when it rain is that I think it’s because the drainage are clogged and filled with extraneous debris. People tend to just throw rubbish here and there. If the city & county officials set a rule or fined people for dumping trush on the street, I think that would help clean up the street. On the other hand, jeepneys causes traffic because of over population or too much jeepneys on the road. Officials could build more highways or some sort of other transportation such us subways, and rail system .
Congrats!
I enjoyed reading your features…
Topics are interesting and writing style is conversational and entertaining.
Keep up the good work Journa Liz!
Mahalo for enjoying my piece, and writing style…I like features that are entertaining, personal, interesting, odd, and ironic.
Sir,
Can I use the big question mark’s(green) photo ?