Although I may not be passing my genetics to a new generation, I think that I am satisfied passing my “memetic code” along.
I feel that when I leave an informational impression on someone else, whether by sharing a photograph online, a heartfelt conversation in person, or a written note like this, it leaves little imprints on everyone who perceives them. I like to hope that I pass along a feeling of kindness, humor or at the very least a perspective that might be a bit different. I have little doubt that is isn’t always the case, but hopefully whatever it is I share helps to push things in a small way towards a greater good.
We are all influencers to some tiny degree. Even photons with no mass can be absorbed by matter, and that matter is altered by them to a minuscule degree. Every tiny bit has momentum and can move that matter, that energy is added to the whole.
It makes me happy when I remember that I have brought some small degree of benefit to others. One example that I love is that I could share Newton with literally millions of people online. People still sometimes find photographs of him and let me know that it made them smile, even in the years since he has passed. I recently got a note from an old friend that I don’t communicate with on the regular, and they kindly said that they think of me often… “Scott would love this.” and it made them happy to think on that. That makes me happy to be thought of in a pleasantly weird light.
Another friend saw something while shopping, thought it was cool, and sent it to me as a little treat, and it made me feel all kinds of emotions. The treat is something that Newton would have loved to play with (he was much more into catnip than Pyewacket), and was also very “Scotto themed” in that it was a stuffed sasquatch toy and a little plush tree. It made me smile, cry, and feel wistful and appreciated all at once.
I hope that the majority of impressions I make on the world around me, from footprints in the mud to silly videos of plastic toys and squirrels are helping to make the world a better, more interesting place.
#streamofthought https://instagr.am/p/CaX8hozumSA/
