The Wreck of Time

        Annie Dillard's perspective that she throws out to her readers definitely stirs up some interesting thought processes. At first glance it can seem like an overly morbid outlook on life. She uses all these statistics and numbers that seemingly crush any reason for valuing the individual and the lives that we lead. It’s true though, there have been and currently are so many people on this planet that we are merely one in billions, a single grain of sand amongst many that make up a beach.
 Dillard ends her story with a quote from an English journalist saying, “Either life is always and in all circumstance sacred, or intrinsically of no account, it is inconceivable that it should be in some cases the one, and in some the other.” I personally feel that life is sacred! How can it be that we are created in such a miraculous process starting from nothing and turning into a talking, walking, and thinking human being if we were only meant to live for a very short period of time cease to exist in any way shape or form. There has to be meaning for the sacrifices made, the hardships endured, the laughter created, and the questions asked. Life is only so sacred because it is such a fragile thing, it can be gone in a moment!
To be misunderstood is something that I fear the most. It’s a horrible feeling that I get when I say or do something that people take the wrong way. I can’t imagine what the creator of this place and our lives must feel when people take life so lightly. It is a gift, that is what life is, and it should be lived to its fullest, taking advantage of the moments that seem to pass us by day after day. I mean, imagine giving someone a watch, but when they get it they look oddly at it. Twirling it in their fingers, staring at it from different angles, and inspecting the different knobs and buttons. After a short while of studying and observing they stand up straight look at it with confidence and begin to use it only as a mirror. Sure, they found a use for it, but that was not what it was meant for. They may look at it, but only to see themselves, unable to see past their own reflection and realize its inner workings and ability to judge time with a series of gears and cleverly crafted pieces.
Dillard doesn’t seem to dictate her views one way or another but leaves it open for the readers to decide for themselves, which side of the fence they would like to be on. I find it very interesting how she uses her stories and arguments to push and pull readers to think about life in different ways.


http://plato.stanford.edu/entries/life/
http://lifehacker.com/