Finding Nemo
The film Finding Nemo tells us the story about a clownfish called Marlin who has to do a long quest to find his lost son Nemo. Marlin meets different mates on his way. Small social interactions. Some dangerous moments too. But the social interactions are mainly friendly.
Any kind of long term relation implies high and low moments. And the low moments are fine, even they are needed. Friends, lovers, families... they all have angry moments, disappointing situations and sad feelings. And as a part of a community, they overcome those situations. They learn and evolve from them. This maturity process seems to be needed as good moments as well. And those experiences reinforce the relations.
But in Marlin's travel, the social interactions are short. Short and good. The friendly moments are not long enough to have the chance for disappointment. Is unusual to discover a deeper knowledge about the individuals without share more time together. The brief encounter stays focus at the present moment and it is recorded as a great memory. Hardly anyone becomes a long term partner.
In the film Fight Club (from the novel of the same name) we can find this concept known as "single-serving friend".
A smile crossed with a stranger. Explain how to find an address in the street. Carry up to a heavy grocery bag for a neighbor. A small talk with a train passenger...
A dude coming from another friend joining us for a weekend excursion. A week workshop in a different office where to meet other colleagues. A CouchSurfing guest that visits the city a few days...
A mate that comes to work but leaves after a year. A relationship that ends. A flatmate that finishes the studies and moves to another city...
We are the sum of moments. From our ancestors to us. From previous atoms colliding to now. And in social terms, we are the sum of all our short interactions as well.
Because people enter and exit continuously in our day-to-day life. Like the air in our lungs. And we breathe from them. Then, we all continue our own path. In our own way.
Any kind of long term relation implies high and low moments. And the low moments are fine, even they are needed. Friends, lovers, families... they all have angry moments, disappointing situations and sad feelings. And as a part of a community, they overcome those situations. They learn and evolve from them. This maturity process seems to be needed as good moments as well. And those experiences reinforce the relations.
But in Marlin's travel, the social interactions are short. Short and good. The friendly moments are not long enough to have the chance for disappointment. Is unusual to discover a deeper knowledge about the individuals without share more time together. The brief encounter stays focus at the present moment and it is recorded as a great memory. Hardly anyone becomes a long term partner.
In the film Fight Club (from the novel of the same name) we can find this concept known as "single-serving friend".
A smile crossed with a stranger. Explain how to find an address in the street. Carry up to a heavy grocery bag for a neighbor. A small talk with a train passenger...
A dude coming from another friend joining us for a weekend excursion. A week workshop in a different office where to meet other colleagues. A CouchSurfing guest that visits the city a few days...
A mate that comes to work but leaves after a year. A relationship that ends. A flatmate that finishes the studies and moves to another city...
We are the sum of moments. From our ancestors to us. From previous atoms colliding to now. And in social terms, we are the sum of all our short interactions as well.
Because people enter and exit continuously in our day-to-day life. Like the air in our lungs. And we breathe from them. Then, we all continue our own path. In our own way.