How long does "forever" last?

15th Aug '11

I have always been in conflict with the word forever, from the time I have known its true meaning, that is. As a child I have read many fairy tales ending in "happily ever after" but does this "ever after", specially a happy one, actually exist?

Now I know it doesn't. Life is not supposed to be a serene lake where you sail without any difficulty. Life is meant to be the high seas; sometimes calm and serene and other times rough and harsh. If it's all easy then you will never know how to row your boat away from the storm or even dodge them.

When I hear that all famous romantic dialogue, "I will be there for you forever," it makes me think "How will you really do that?" A person has to die and after that their own version of forever ends. I think my forever exists till I exist. But there is another forever that indeed lasts forever.

All tangible things perish. No matter what it is, it is going to either die, break or fall apart when the time comes. But there are certain other things, the intangible ones that indeed remain forever. The things you remember in your heart as memories, words or stories.

The most important examples are the fairy tales, nursery rhymes and folk tales. They have been coming down from generations and generations. Originally developed hundreds or years ago but they are still fresh in our minds.

While going through the origins of nursery rhymes like Jack and Jill and Twinkle Twinkle Little Star I found out that they were originally written in the late 1700's or early 1800. Even fairy tales likeCindrella and Little Red Riding Hood have been written as early as the 16th century.

Not only literally works but paintings, songs, films have all being made from so long that the earlier ones have been in this world from almost "forever". If these stories, songs, poems etc are kept alive in the generations to come they will indeed continue as they are.

For any person we lose to the laws of nature, we remember them by the words they said and deeds they did. They remain in our memories forever and they can. I think forever exists, it may not be all rosy and merry but it does. Intangible things are kept alive by us, cherished and preserved. Things that give us comfort or things that have been merely made for amusement have been and will be there in this world long after we have gone.

There is a quote "We are all travelers to this time, this place. We are just passing through." Does it not give us the perspective of our life. This world, the Earth was here long before we came and will continue to exist long after we are gone. This world is going to be there for a very long time, almost forever, we will not. So my forever lasts for a lifetime and the world's forever will last as long as this world does.