Parallel universes and time travel are the subjects of sci-fi novels and movies, and the fans of Art Bell and George Noory.
Gene Roddenberry used the themes in multiple Star Trek adventures. The TV show “Fringe” leaped into a parallel universe in the later seasons.
If there really were parallel universes, would all the living creatures exist in both? It could be a subset. Some people would be disappointed. With one person missing, their descendants would be missing in the future as well. The number of potential conflicts would be a mathematical nightmare, with descendants of people who exist hooking up with descendants of other people who no longer exist, which will make pictures disappear. It would be as difficult as diagramming that last statement.
With so many personal decisions, they would all need to be the same for a parallel universe to contain everything the same, except with different personalities. But with all decisions the same, the resulting personalities would be the same.
A question on a philosophy test: define the universe and give three examples. If there is a parallel universe, where does it physically exist? Is it an overlapping fifth dimension? Or is it on the other side of the boundary of the universe we know?
It’s good in story, but impractical in application.
Now that the fifth dimension might be an issue, how about the stories of the fourth dimension? There are many more of those stories. So much so that complete franchises of sequels, or are those prequels, exist.
If there is a fourth dimension of time that only goes in one direction, if I were to go back in time, that means I was already there when that time happened. I don’t remember that because for me, it would be in my aging line. I could try to change something, but I had already done what I went to change.
As I get older and older, I think back on the choices and efforts I made. Could I have worked harder?
There are also the choices that my parents made. What if my dad had never decided to move our family from Salt Lake City to Fairfax? Or, my mom didn’t agree? Megan would not exist nor be living in Salt Lake City.
What if I had turned around and batted left-handed during my Freshman year baseball team tryout? I couldn’t hit the 1-7 curveball as a right-handed batter, and the coach didn’t look at me again. I would never have run track and then have fun running marathons and ultras. Would I even be here and healthy?
What if I had eaten more vegetables when I was young?
What if I weren’t as passive while playing high school football, being more assertive, understanding film study and play theory, and interacting more with my coaches rather than waiting for them to do something?
With two grandsons playing football, I encourage them to do the things I wish I had done. I don’t tell them why. I wonder if they get the reason why. Hopefully, they don’t look back at what-ifs.
There are so many what-ifs in my life, and probably the same in yours. I’m happy with the products of my what-ifs.
Accept what you have, mourn the past, move on, and remember: “youth is wasted on the young.”