Anna Voegele

Dr. Jensen
Honors Forum
19 October 2022

In this essay, I will argue that Alan Lightman's Einstein's dream of April 16th, 1905
criticizes the methods in which individuals express their emotions or ideas in a period when
everyone is constantly aware of how their past shapes their present identity and how time is
crucial. Could it be the fear of messing up the consequences of our decisions or the impact
impacting us in our actions? Are we able to learn from our past and build off of it rather than sit
there and be scared to make a move?
Einstein's dream of April 16th, 1905 talks about how time is like a flow of water as it
flows in One Direction it can be disturbed and carried to its past. 1 ones who've experienced the
transportation to the past move carefully to avoid making changes that will affect their future. A
question is why are we so worried about how our past might affect our futures? Being human we
frequently regret the things we did or did not do which is why we keep thinking about the past
period and since we made mistakes we begin to worry about whether we would repeat our
mistakes in the future or if our past decisions would somehow affect our future.
A piece of dust can even affect one's future as Einstein's dream states, “She is terrified
that she will kick up dust…” (Lightman 11). This woman is crouched in the shadows of the
building careful not to kick up any dust because it might affect Peter Klausen’s birth then if the
dust must size up his clothes he will stop to brush them off which will then affect the series of
events he has planned for the rest of the day. Knowing that even a small change to the past could
ruin the future the woman who is hiding is very cautious about her motions.
I can even say I do the same thing I worry about how my actions in my past or right now
can affect my future. Growing up with separated parents I always asked myself if there was
anything I could do to make this any easier for me in them. I like others do let my mind wander
replying to mistakes from memories that are made in the past creating hurt or pain. No matter
how hard we try we can never get it back or change our past period we are simply reminiscing
our thoughts when we reflect on the past and consider what we could have done better. By doing
this we continue to bury our present moments under our regrets rather than learn anything from
the past.
Fear spreads through this world as the ones in the dream worry about the consequences of
one's decisions if they are carried back to their past. “…Trying Not to bend a single blade of
grass. For their fear that any change they make in the past could have drastic consequences for
the future,” (Lightman 10-11). They initially were concerned that whatever changes they made in
the past might have an impact on their future. Our ability to control our emotions or actions
contemplate before thinking and are led by example can all be interfered with by fear. That hurts
our thinking and decision making us more open to stronger emotions and wrong behaviors. All
of these impacts may prevent us from acting as we should.
As for the future we are unable to predict it and we cannot change the past. What we can
do right now can somehow shape or impact what happens in the future. But once we understand
it we will be able to go forward slowly from where we were to where we are right now. Learning
from my past of the separation of my parents I have learned many different things and I figured
out how to handle in cope with the change that has affected my family. Even though it was
traumatic and a life-altering event I became a stronger and different person with many
perspectives on my future.
Life will always be a constant state of change whether we plan for it or not and we need
to be ready for it rather than be surprised by it. We might be better preparing ourselves for
unexpected events that are impossible to avoid by being able to learn to accept the change. We
are all human and along with all the wonderful things that come with that we have to accept
some things: that we all fail and we all experience hard things. And we all have room to develop
new information and improve our standpoint. But to understand we have to work with moving
forward and keeping our mind open as we deal with challenging situations.
Time does not go in circles in the dream of April 16, 1905 instead it flows like water.
However, portions of time flow backward and carry humans to certain locations in their past.
Those people take great care not to disturb anything since they are aware of how changing their
past can affect their future. In the dream, every change to the past has an impact on the present
giving the people more choices than those who know what their future is like.
Einstein sees how these theories that he talks about and scenarios can affect people. The
idea of time is crucial because according to Einstein it is a powerful force that emerged in the
past that individuals cannot change. Time is too valuable. At a time everyone is frequently aware
of how the past impacts to present identity and how time is important we as individuals can learn
from our past which can affect what we see and what we choose to do in the future if we put our
minds to it and not be so cautious about the mistakes we have made.