Time Travel

Time travel is a favourite tool of science fiction writers. The possibility that a person could travel through time to live in another period is always an exciting and tempting concept. I sometimes wonder if it has actually happened in reality as it could explain the incredible foresight that some individuals have shown through the annals of time. But to answer this prompt from the WordPress challenge, which way would I time travel, forwards or backwards in time, to a year in the future or a year in the past?

I have chosen the late 1940’s when I believe the above photo was taken of my mother and I. Shortly after this photo was taken my mother left her marriage to my father to start a new life for herself, alone, in New Zealand while I was left in the care of my grandparents. I have written about this period earlier in my post “Ho Hum” but what if I was able to travel back to this time, could I have in some way influenced her decision? Could I have convinced her, knowing what I know now, to stay in the marriage, or at least to keep me with her in whatever course she decided to take? A big ask though, to be a single mother in those days without the support possibilities available today, such as they are. Could I have convinced my father to be a better husband and father so that my mother wouldn’t feel she had to leave? Doubtful, given he seemed to be just 18 going on 69 when he died. A bit of a challenge for a 3-something year old me but hey, if I could time travel perhaps I could have some power to influence the decision.

What if, however, time travel was a one way ticket only? If I chose to travel back in time then that is where I stayed, and grew up, in that period. How different would my life have been with the volatile and dare I say it, immature personalities of my parents? I did see how they “matured” into old age and I am not sure I would have benefited from their direct influences over my formative years. I have seen the effects of my mother’s care on my three half-brothers. This sounds a little cruel but if I suffered from her absence, then they suffered from her presence. Despite the issues I raised in “Ho Hum” I think I benefited from the love and guidance of my more mature grandparents in my formative years more so than I may have with my parents.

Therefore if that was the only time travel option available to me, then no thanks, I will stick with where I am, as I am.