The quote from Salman Rushdie's "Midnight's Children" explores the nature of reality as shaped by time and perspective. It suggests that as individuals move further away from events, those moments can take on a clearer, more believable form. This reflects how memories can become more solidified and concrete, almost idyllic, over time.

Conversely, as one draws closer to the present, the complexities and uncertainties of recent experiences can make them appear more astonishing and unbelievable. This idea highlights how our understanding of reality is fluid, influenced by the distance we have from events and the narratives we construct around them.