All this saving a child does! At one point I even saved the box scores of an entire baseball season, both leagues, since Philadelphia played, haplessly, in both. How precious each scrap of the world appears, in our first years' experience of it! Slowly we realize that it is all disposable, including ourselves.
In "Self-Consciousness," John Updike reflects on the innocence of childhood and the value placed on memories and experiences. He recalls a time when he meticulously saved sports statistics, emphasizing how each detail from those early years seemed significant and irreplaceable. The enthusiasm for collecting such fragments highlights the uniqueness of childhood perception.
However, as one grows older, there's a realization that much of what felt important is ultimately transient, including our own lives. This transition from cherishing every detail to understanding their disposability marks a shift in perspective that often accompanies maturity, prompting a deeper contemplation of existence and the fleeting nature of memory.
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All the things you can talk about in anyone's work are the things that are least important.
Race of Cain, ascend to heaven, And cast God down upon the earth!
