There are times when we’re floating above everything. Gone is every aspect of our immediate surroundings - we are just suddenly strung between the earth and the universe. We become absolutely enraptured within one fantastic experience. It could be the enticing depth of an immeasurable night sky, the bright eyes of a lover, the quick dizziness of a flashing, spinning carousel - experiences that pull minds and souls together in a state of exhilarating excitement and wonder. That overload of awe and astonishment, those magic moments where everything melts away and the world suddenly shifts: that’s surreal.
When first mentioned, surreal moments may paint images of melting clocks and jambled staircases. There may be strong, juxtaposed moods, outrageous flowing movements, and just wildly confusing and boggling occurrences. But this ignores the swelling wonder and sharp clarity that comes with moments spent suspended in surreality. Surreal moments grasp your attention and do not let go. The mind zeroes in on the experience, letting no other factor in. Everything grows quiet, any emotions previously felt are gone, and every aspect of one’s previous state disappears. The world may be spinning, people swirling around us, but surreality will still manage to fade everything out and make one just watch a frozen, stunning moment. Our consciousness travels above all the wranglings of life to snap our attention to the arrestful marvels that bring all inspiration and beauty to our souls. That’s surreal.
Surreal moments may only last for seconds, yet they remain for lifetimes. They are quick snippets of irreplicable connections between us and our world. Some may seem the same, feeling constant like the dancing of the Northern Lights, the bright break of dawn, or the fleeting people on city sidewalks. They may even conjure up similar emotions every time they’re experienced. However, they are never the exact same. They can’t be. Those constant moments are the same as gentle summer nights spent stargazing with friends, the first date with a now long term partner, or receiving the radiant smile of a child. Those are giant moments of connection that form the springboard for the surreal. The surge of soft bonds that are shared between us and our world pulls the mind away from firm reality into the arms of indescribable happiness. Surreality pulls us above the normal stirs of life and delivers us into focused moments that capture the joys of humanity. Surreal experiences have more profound impacts than our average realities; they are the few seconds that show us the exhilarating world that resides above our own.
The amazing difference between our trudging going-ons in life and those still moments of beauty is highlighted by our memories. Gazing back at those few seconds of glorious joy and awe will always inspire emotions, as our minds photograph those special, surreal experiences that brought a fluttering flame to the heart. We are drawn to them, never wanting them to leave and always excitedly waiting for the next instant of astonishment. It’s how humanity is - we crave those glorious moments of surreality.
Without surreal moments, life would be without the greatest of its highs. There would be no moments of heart-pounding, smile-pulling successes. The hair-raising crescendos extracted by beautiful music would be silenced. Gone would be the bursting love of a parent, a partner, a pet. Creativity, imagination, and daydreams would wither and grow extinct. Memories would be held less dear, for there were never those awesome moments to inspire them. The strong moments of passion for life, connection, the future: they’re surreal.
Instants that rise to the wondrous plane that lives above our simple reality are surreal moments. They pull vibrance and beauty into our lives. They come unexpectedly, being the force that suddenly draws our focus to certain indiscrete yet powerful experiences that surround us. Surreal instants are reminders of the connections flourishing around us, the times where we can look beyond our simple lives and to what could be. Surreality lies at the edge of the universe: in the bright lights of the stage, in the hearts and faces of the people who care for us. Surreal moments lie in wait everywhere; they are beautiful instants just waiting for an opportunity to disrupt your normal state of reality and leave you in awe.
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