Cyclical History

This semester I'm taking a Humanities of Asia class. I love it! The teacher is very passionate about what she teaches and class is fascinating (even at 8am, which says something). Last week we began studying the Vedic Religions of India, particularly Hinduism. I find Hinduism fascinating. It's one of the oldest and largest religions in the world with a very long rich history. One of the key elements in understanding India and the Vedic Culture is the idea of re-incarnation. Not only does it mean that the pesky fly you killed could have been your Uncle Fred, but it leads to a unique view of life, the past, and the future. My teacher presented it like this: "Under the Hindu concept of time, what has not happened will never happen, and events that have occurred previously will occur once again." I'll admit I half scoffed at this idea. Being a history person, I understand that history does repeat. Those who are stupid enough to make the same mistakes as their predecessors often meet the same deaths, particularly those who try to invade Russia in the winter. This I comprehend and accept. I was a little more sceptical of the idea that this repetition occurred between generations in daily life.

Now to the point behind my mini history/culture lesson. Today I went apartment hunting with Megan and Noelle. Megan wanted to look at some apartments and I wanted to look at some condos. First we went to the apartments. I walked into the apartments and knew that I had found my next "home". We wandered around a bit after that, but nothing else fit. Now you are wondering how apartments and Hinduism tie together... ready...

MY DAD LIVED THERE FOR 4 YEARS!!!

No joke. Chalk up one point for Vedic time concepts and zero for Nicole. My dad lived in exactly half of the apartments in the complex, met my mom there, and I believe lived there until he married Mom. There have been Okeson's at this complex, and there will always be Okeson's there. Such is life.

The real bonus is I'll never need to give my family directions to my apartment. Just follow memory lane.