Last week, I started re-reading The Vampire Academy series (by Richelle Mead) and I started re-watching Dawson’s Creek. When you re-read or re-watch something, you notice different things, you feel differently because you know what’s going to happen so you focus on other things and can take everything in in more detail. Usually, when I’m gripped by a book or a film or TV show, I’m hooked and frantically watch until I find out the ending but sometimes that means I miss things.
I wonder if the same thing is true for life? Do we hurtle through so quickly that we miss moments and details we should be savouring? Do we move past things and people that were meant to have a larger part of our life? If we could relive it, would we see things differently?
It’s a cliche that as you get older you get wiser but I definitely think you experience and navigate life differently the more you experience. You learn to pay attention to some things and learn to move on quickly from others. You learn who is worthy of your time and love. If you could go back with an understanding of your mistakes and life lessons learned, I wonder what different choices you might make the second time around.
But all those choices made you who you are today. Reliving isn’t possible and probably wouldn’t make us happier. Perhaps the journey will always take us to the same destination anyway. Re-reading and re-watching is fun because films and books are always there for us to go back to but life isn’t.
We only have one shot at that.
Do you experience new things when you re-read or re-watch something? Would you relive your life if you could?
Victoria
xoxo
Lisa Wields Words
/ May 30, 2012I love revisiting things I’ve loved in the past, and seeing what I learn from them now. I don’t know that I would want to relive my life, but then again maybe I would like to relearn from past mistakes. Did you ever watch the show Being Erica? It’s about a woman who travels through time to fix things from her past so that she can learn how the past affects the person she is now. I loved it.
Victoria-writes
/ May 31, 2012I watched it a couple of times, wasn’t sure what was going on
I think it would be fun to take a trip back now and again but I suppose we need to learn to worry more about the future than the past.
kford2007
/ May 30, 2012I like revisiting some things. Others are left best in the past. Would I like to live my life over knowing what I know now? Yeah, I think I would. I would definitely be emotionally stronger, more confident and ‘live’. I wouldn’t be so afraid of taking chances.
Victoria-writes
/ May 31, 2012I’m the same – I would take more chances but maybe we’re meant to wait until we’re older to do that.
Pany
/ May 30, 2012I’m not sure I would, as most things in life should be savoured and it seems to me a little selfish to go back over them. I guess if we all re-lived our lives we wouldn’t have that anticipation like we did the first time round.
Victoria-writes
/ May 31, 2012That’s true, and we’d end up changing things that don’t need changing.
suzicate
/ May 30, 2012I almost always catch something I missed the first time. Glad I’m not the only one who likes to reread books.
Victoria-writes
/ May 31, 2012For me it confirms whether I loved the book or not!
GJ Scobie
/ May 30, 2012In answer to your first point yes I do. One example, Joyce, Ulysses. Second time reading ten years apart it was like night and day. Got it the second time around. Clearly I wasn’t ready
If I could go back armed with the knowledge and experience I have and be who I am today but younger then yes 
but that’s not the way it works outside of my writing I’m afraid 
Great post!
Victoria-writes
/ May 31, 2012Phew that’s some pretty heavy going reading! And yet some books I love as much now as I did when I was younger. Strange! Yep we’ll have to do it through our writing instead
Rach @ This Italian Family
/ May 30, 2012I agree with you! I definitely think that happens. I’ve noticed it with every great book I’ve reread.
Also, I just finished reading the Vampire Academy series and LOVED it! Just had to throw that out there ’cause you mentioned it!
Victoria-writes
/ May 31, 2012Yay glad you enjoyed it! I love Rose and Dimitri, I like to see a film version!
Elin @andserenitytoo
/ May 30, 2012Hey there
That’s true, you notice more when reading or watching something a second time.. maybe we should try living like we were reading a book for the second time 
Victoria-writes
/ May 31, 2012Hi Elin! You’re right!
Souzapalooza
/ May 30, 2012Do you think that you see things differently cause you are different? Because you have changed, grown, evolved, and have a new perspective?
Victoria-writes
/ May 31, 2012Definitely!!
hunting for bliss
/ May 31, 2012I don’t think I would live my life over…but I think that’s what I’m supposed to say, right? I try not to want to change anything, but there are some things that I would go back and handle differently, for sure! Have you seen the Anne of Green Gables series? It was my fave when I was younger and I watched it again this past month…Oh man, my perspective has totally changed, and I basically cried the whole way through, it was all SO good and touching
xoxo
Victoria-writes
/ May 31, 2012We’ll never know if it would work or not. It’d be interesting to see what choice we’d make if it was actually possible! I think I did when I was younger, I definitely read the books. I’m glad it moved you! Thanks for commenting!
racheldeangelis
/ May 31, 2012I enjoy re-reading books and re-watching movies and TV shows (The Gilmore Girls!), but I don’t think I would want to re-live my life. All too often, I get through something tough and think, “I’m glad that’s done with!” In life, I’d rather just keep moving forward.
Victoria-writes
/ May 31, 2012I love The Gilmore Girls too! I agree, there’s some things I’d never want to do again!
Ladygardenia
/ May 31, 2012That’s a good post.. I was just thinking about the choices I have made in my life today.. It made me think about it again, but probably I wouldn’t change anything cause I believe everything happens for a reason and I have attracted everything in my life so I have to learn from it and accept it…
Victoria-writes
/ May 31, 2012Thanks! I think that’s a great attitude to have, I try to believe it all happens for a reason but we’ll never know for sure until the end!
Roshni
/ May 31, 2012It always happens with me. When I reread or rewatch something, I always seem to get something new from it. It’s always been a better experience for me. Same goes for life…with experience, you tend to know what you really want, what really matters and who/what is worth your effort.
Great post! Love the thoughts!
Victoria-writes
/ June 2, 2012Thanks Roshni!
Mr. Wapojif
/ June 1, 2012If you watch a film like Inception or Memento you certainly glean something new each time. I certainly did. It depends what films you watch – I repeatedly view my favourite things until it’s all lodged in my head and I know it all verbatim. Withnail and I, The Madness of King George, Amadeus… it’s like a cinema in my head! As for my favourite books I remember certain key events which stick with me – like in Camus’ The Plague where the protagonists go for a silent swim in the ocean alone with their thoughts. Anyway, I believe the more self-aware a person is the more you’ll enjoy life and comprehend how you can conduct yourself in society. Anyone involved in the 2011 English riots please take note!
Victoria-writes
/ June 2, 2012I love Inception and it definitely warrants repeat watches!
Jackie Cangro
/ June 1, 2012I’ve noticed that the reverse can be true also. Sometimes I will try to read a book or watch a movie and it’s just not clicking for me. Maybe I even put it down. Then when I pick it up again years later, I connect with it and it “speaks” to me. I guess different life experiences have changed my perception and then I”m able to receive the author’s message. That was definitely true for the novel Mrs. Dalloway.
Victoria-writes
/ June 2, 2012Good point. I didn’t like Mrs D either, maybe Ill give it another go one day!
nrhatch
/ June 3, 2012Your post reminds me of a quote:
“When you reread a classic you do not see more in the book than you did before; you see more in you than was there before.” ~ Clifton Fadiman
Victoria-writes
/ June 3, 2012Love that!!
D...
/ June 5, 2012I love this. Honestly it’s so true, we go through things at such a hurried pace when we’re young that when we go back to revisit something we see it differently and understand it with a greater depth. That’s the value of experience and maturity I think. These are the good things about growing up.
Victoria-writes
/ June 6, 2012Good there are some good things about growing up