I am, as of this writing, binge-watching the popular TV series. I never watched the show when it originally aired, so I am only catching up now that Netflix is streaming it. Sometimes, I am glued to the story as if I, too, am lost in the island’s mystery. Other times, I just let it hum in the background while I doom-scroll or shop on my phone, suddenly losing track of the plot. However, one concept about the show’s main recurring theme—time travel—that I was particularly drawn to was the idea of having a constant. It’s the concept of having something or someone that can tether a person while their consciousness travels through time. The constant serves as a stable focal point so that the person can come out of the journey unscathed. Without the constant, the person loses their bearings, their brain short circuits and they die.
There is no scientifically documented case of time travel in the world, but I find the concept to be a powerful metaphor for our own lives. In a recent conversation with a dear friend, we discussed how life can sometimes feel a bit empty, especially when we start stripping away the things we believe define us—like our jobs, possessions, or relationships. It does make one ponder, but I do think it’s normal to feel lost at times. That’s when having a constant—a North Star, a raison d’être, your life’s “whys”—can be invaluable. A friend once simplified it for me: you need to ask yourself why you are doing what you’re doing. For some people, their “whys” are so much more evident. For the majority of us, probably not. Often, lost in the banalities and busyness of daily living, we don’t find the time to examine our own reason for being.
Over time, I have gradually learned to shift the focus of my “whys” from myself to being more giving and gracious towards others. Making life a little easier or lighter for others, at little cost to myself, has added depth and fulfillment to my life. We live in an interconnected world, and our actions create ripple effects. I prefer those ripples to be ones of kindness.