Fifteen or twenty years ago, I saw a movie whose title, director, screenwriter, and stars I have forgotten. Despite all that, I still recall the basic plot. In the movie, all the dead (well, maybe not Hitler & such) got to go to Heaven, which was different for each person. Each person was asked to pick a given day of their mortal life, or a portion of that day, in which they were happiest; once that was done, the person’s memory of everything that had happened that day and after would be wiped, and they’d be allowed to relive it in a simulation indistinguishable from real life. Afterwards, their memory would be reset and they’d do it again, over and over, for eternity.
What day (or part of a day) of your life would you choose for this purpose?
Probably the day my wife and I went to Trunk Bay Beach in the U.S. Virgin Islands on our honeymoon. Everything was absolutely perfect that day and it wasn’t even crowded on the beach. I will never forget that time.
I’d relive one of the weekend days when my SO and I went riding together up in Wisconsin. The weather was good, the horses were energetic but not crazy, the scenery was beautiful. Neither of us had to work that day and we didn’t need to be anywhere else. Perfect.
I think the day I truly fell in love with my husband. We were on vacation in his hometown of Daytona Beach. We were standing on the beach, the sun was setting, and he sang “Sunshine on My Shoulders” to me. Cheesy, yeah - so what? It was lovely.
Interesting question. I’m not sure whether there’s been an entire day of happiness in a row for me, at least after I entered kindergarten. And just reliving moments would get old quickly. I’ll have to think about this.
I was 15, and my bestie was driving with another friend in the front seat, and the radio was on. We were singing and giggling and talking as she drove down the highway and I actually remember thinking “this is the most fun I have ever had”. It was summer and hot and sunny, and we were young and everything was just perfect in that moment.
It doesn’t sound like anything but it was, and I can’t explain why - one of those moments where the whole universe seems in harmony and all is right with the world. I’ve had many wonderful things happen to me since, but that afternoon of pure joy and fun still sticks in my mind, some 28 years later.
My wedding day. Sounds corny, I know, but pretty much all my favorite people in the world were there, we had a great time, and I get to leave with the hot dude.
If I won’t remember it after each day, then couldn’t you just pick a normal, non-crappy day? Won’t be great, but won’t be bad either. Even if I picked a happy day, without memory of that each time the happiness is fleeting
Can I pick a time when I was asleep and just never wake up?
A couple of days come to mind, immediately, both in 2005. One was in the middle of about a three-day stretch of good days—
Best moment, I’m standing in a bookstore in Marin on a day trip, not far from the bay, and where I spent most of my childhood. Late winter, late in the day. I look out the window through the music section—it’s that odd, spotty weather with clouds rolling in off the ocean, but not enough to obscure the sky. A quiet little cloudburst had started—it’s glinting through the bright, tangerine light before sunset, over the slick pavement. About then I notice the store music playing.
Out of everything I’ve seen, if for only those few seconds…perfect.
Was the movie called After Life?
Japanese film from 1999 After Life (1998) - IMDb
I loved this movie…but I can’t pinpoint that wonderful day in my own life just now.
The day I spent in a borrowed camper in the middle of a clearing in the woods, falling in love with my SO. We were supposedly working at a conference, but all our friends running it knew we were just at the beginning phase of gooeyness, so they left us alone all day and all night. No kids, no responsibilities, just unending time to sit and talk and talk and talk (and make out in between talking!) We kept up a running game of 20 Questions, everything from Big Questions like, “Who was the person who most changed your life?” to little questions like, “Toilet paper roll - over or under?” Wine, time and getting to know someone better than anyone in my life ever, and finding him utterly compelling and compatible. We had 6 days of that, with a few breaks for Obligatory Socialization, and I’d take any one of them to repeat.
(Okay, maybe I’d specify the one in which he brought me to orgasm 11 times in less than 2 hours. :D)
Each time you finish the day or portion thereof in question, you lose all memory of it and start over. You’re not aware that will happen while in the process.
