Ongoing Moments: A series in which teaching staff and students from the English Department respond to a photograph of their choice. [Read all entries.] [Revisit the “Interrogative” series.]
.
Chemistry
your photograph:
the chemistry of remembering
fixed on the cardyour child:
the chemistry of remembering
folded in the flesh—by Brian Holton (a friend and former colleague)
I realize that the genes one passes on to their child only contributes to half of the picture, but if one takes my personality into account, I feel like more than half of my dad.
.
.
.What if—being so similar genetically and temperamentally—we were to switch places? What if we were to grow up in each other’s environment, in each other’s time? Would I be him and he me? Would I be religious and he not? Would he believe humans are causing global warming, and I believe this to be a lie from the left. Would I believe in American exceptionalism? Would he and I still be disgusted with Obama, but for entirely different reasons? Would we each look up to and admire people that we currently loathe?
.
I like to think “I would still be me,” and I’m sure he would say the same. But would we?
:::::
John Wakefield is Assistant Professor at the Department of English Language and Literature. [Click here to read all entries by John.]
Department of English, Hong Kong Baptist University 