"IF YOU EVER TRAVEL BACK IN TIME, DON'T STEP ON ANYTHING"
The Bible teaches us that in Heaven, we get to be reunited with our loved ones who have passed on. But what about the people who didn't die?
I always thought Ashton Kutcher was annoying, unless he was playing Kelso in That 70's Show. He played a great stoner / dumbass. But one of his films always stuck with me. At least the ending did.
The Butterfly Effect from 2004 is a science fiction thriller with a sort-of time-travel element to it. Ashton Kutcher's character suffers periodic blackouts where he realizes that he can travel through time. He keeps using this power in an attempt to go back in time and fix some traumatic events in his childhood friend's lives, particularly a girl named Kayleigh, played by Amy Smart.
Every time he goes back in time and changes something, he comes back to a totally different world in his present body. And every single time, something equally, or even more traumatic happens than before. It just keeps getting worse and worse. (And a warning if you decide to watch the movie, but some of the situations are quite dark. Not graphic, but very dark.)
I never saw the full movie back when it was released. I only came across the last twenty minutes on cable. And when I went back to re-watch it recently, the movie really wasn't as profound as I remembered it being in my memory. But the ending of the movie always stuck with me.
The concept that the best thing you can do for someone you love is to stay the ever-loving-fuck out of their life is incredibly painful. Probably because, at least for someone like myself, it is incredibly relatable.
SPOILER ALERT: But at the ending of the film, Ashton Kutcher's character uses one of his flashbacks to go back to the very beginning where his character and Amy Smart's character first meet as kids at a birthday party. He whispers in her ear, "I hate you, and if you ever come near me again I'll kill you and your whole damn family."
She immediately turns and runs to her mom, as he softly and broken-heartedly says "Goodbye."
As a result, Keyleigh goes on to live with her mother, instead of her abusive father. The trajectory of her life becomes far more wholesome. She goes on to college and has a very successful life. A life that Ashton Kutcher's character can have no part of.
At the end of the film, they pass each other randomly on the street as adults. They share a short glance of semi-recognition, before turning and continuing on in different directions while "Stop Crying Your Heart Out" by Oasis plays us in to the ending credits.
If that ending doesn't bring at least a tear to your eye, you've never truly been in love with someone where as much as you wanted to, it just didn't work out.
The Bible teaches us that in Heaven, we get to be reunited with our loved ones who have passed on. But what about the people who didn't die? The ones who walked away from us and cut off all communication while they were still living. Do we ever get to see them again? Do we ever get to apologize?
The Simpsons episode where Homer keeps getting his hand stuck in the toaster is a much more light-hearted example of how the butterfly effect works.
Homer Simpson: "Okay! Don't panic! Just remember the advice your father gave you on your wedding day."
Grandpa Simpson (in a flashback): "If you ever travel back in time, don't step on anything. Because even the tiniest change can alter the future in ways you can't imagine."
I can't go back in time. I wish I could, but I can't.
But if I could, I would absolutely, positively do my absolute best, to try not to "step on anything" this time around.
It makes it worse when you meet someone new, and as much as you want to make a connection with them, to ask them out for lunch, to give them a friendly phone call...
You feel like the best thing you can do for them is keep your toxic self out of their life.
"Stop Crying Your Heart Out" by Oasis
Hold up, hold up
Don't be scared
You'll never change what's been and gone
May your smile
(May your smile)
Shine on
(Shine on)
Don't be scared
(Don't be scared)
Your destiny will keep you on
'Cause all of the stars have faded away
Just try not to worry, you'll see them some day
Take what you need and be on your way
And stop crying your heart out
Get up
(Get up)
Come on
(Come on)
Why you scared?
(I'm not scared)
You'll never change what's been and gone
'Cause all of the stars have faded away
Just try not to worry, you'll see them some day
Take what you need and be on your way
And stop crying your heart out
'Cause all of the stars have faded away
Just try not to worry, you'll see them some day
Just take what you need and be on your way
And stop crying your heart out
We're all of the stars, we're fadin' away
Just try not to worry, you'll see us some day
Just take what you need and be on your way
And stop crying your heart out
Stop crying your heart out
Stop crying your heart out
Stop crying your heart out
