Specters of Ideas Past
When we chance upon old abandoned ideas, we call it serendipity. But what if it’s something otherworldly?
Have you set a book down, unmoved and off-hand
Only to find it riveting many moons later?
Does an idea that once felt archaic and pointless,
now shimmer with profound influence?
Perhaps absurdity has gained charm,
The unimaginable has earned belief,
Things and places sparse with meaning,
now seek to be in tune and harmonious.
Have you simply traded opinions?
Time contorting your truths yet again
Maybe you’ve become jaded or admiringly wiser
Mining deep biases to cultivate fresher tenets
Oh, but you’ve been fooled by the specters
The spirits of old ideas and encounters.
They want you to believe you’ve transformed,
When in secrecy, they’ve pursued your fantasies.
Supplanting thoughts with their ancient wisdom
Lurking with rejected stories at nightfall
Seducing time to be their ally,
So you can ‘chance’ upon evolved perspectives
The next time a jilted theory glitters like gold,
or a forgotten book keeps you up all night,
They’ve found you in the depths of your rumination,
Trust that the specters have changed your mind.
When you seek out axioms once unsought,
And unlikely places become cherished haunts
Know that their ghosts have been waiting in the shadows
So disembodied ideas can engulf you at the right place and time.
What inspired me to pen this poem?
Over the last year, I have experienced moments where books, ideologies, or views on life that didn’t resonate with me in the past unexpectedly seemed more appealing and relevant. When I started paying attention to how they then positively shaped my life, it felt almost eerily mystical. Like these ideas had followed me around, lingering patiently, until I was ready to embrace them.
The specters in my poem, although mischievous and enigmatic, are not the devilish kind. While they would prefer to take credit for their handiwork, they see the wisdom in letting us think that our revelations and eureka moments are our own.
While I wasn’t directly inspired by Elizabeth Gilbert’s Ted Talk, ‘Your Elusive Creative Genius’, this train of thought did lead me to listen to it again and I recall why I admire her artistry greatly.
I have talked to many peers and acquaintances about this serendipitous phenomenon, including the reading community I recently founded and we all agree that something magical is at play. Whether it’s our human psyche or something otherworldly is yet to be seen.
Hi! I’m Smriti, a product designer doing her best work at the intersection of design, technology, and well-being. Writing is my favorite form of creativity, and I share interesting stories about design and everyday life. If you found my musings interesting, here’s a big joyful thank you. 🙌
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