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String Theory

I was watching Heroes this morning (gotta love TiVo) and one of the first things we see is a huge mess of strings crossing back and forth, filling up an apartment. On each string are pictures of newspaper clippings, photos and handwritten notes. When you look at it, initially it's a jumbled mess. A little later it all gets explained.

Each string is a persons' life. The notes and photos are key events in that persons' life. The strings are arranged in a way which shows how each life intersects with someone else's life.

In the end it makes for a huge display of an entire community.

We can see how the community is connected, where their lives moved together and where they separated. We can see all of the events of an individuals' life, or that of the entire community.

When you think about it, this would be a pretty amazing representation of life.

I wonder what it would look like if I built this string based on my friendships. What if we built it for everyone at work, or in our church?

Our entire lives are made up of the people we surround ourselves with. Our most important history is defined by our actions with other people and with God.

I wonder what my string would look like, and whether there would be a lot of intersections with others.

Peace,

+Tom

Comments

StaceyLynn said…
Although I didn't see this show, this ''theory'' sounds so...precise? I think it would be amazing to see entire communities and LIVES mapped out in such a way. I hope if this ever happens, I have a nice string.
May 1, 2007 at 7:22:00 PM EDT
Tom said…
Yeah, that's exactly what I had been thinking as well. I wonder how you determine what events are really worth cataloging, and do we even remember every life-changing event we've had?

But to see the lives of everyone I've been in contact with would just be incredible. I wonder what the linking all the bloggers for a certain blog would look like.

Oh yeah, and I certainly hope I have a nice string too.

Thanks!
May 1, 2007 at 8:27:00 PM EDT
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