Summary:
This article explores the fleeting nature of human existence by imagining an ordinary person from the Renaissance—someone who lived, worked, loved, and struggled, yet left no lasting trace. Just as their life has faded into obscurity, so too will our own personal histories eventually be forgotten. The article challenges the reader to consider whether our attachments to identity, possessions, and accomplishments are as meaningful as we believe. Ultimately, it questions whether something deeper and more permanent exists beyond the transient nature of life.
Main Points:
- The Impermanence of Individual Lives – Ordinary people from history, no matter their experiences, are often lost to time, just as we, too, will eventually be forgotten.
- The Illusion of Permanence – We cling to our identities and achievements, believing they define us, yet history shows that all material and personal legacies eventually fade.
- The Search for What Endures – The article questions whether something timeless exists beyond our temporary existence, challenging the reader to reflect on the nature of being.
Key Questions:
- How does the passage of time erase individual lives from history?
- Are our identities and achievements as significant as we believe?
- What, if anything, remains when all forms of life and memory fade?
- Is existence truly fleeting, or is there something deeper and enduring beyond time?
Today, I’m reflecting on the idea of a “Random Renaissance Person.” You’re welcome to ponder this with me.
To clarify, a “Random Renaissance Person” is simply an ordinary individual who could have lived during the Renaissance (or any other historical period if you prefer). Imagine a person from that time—not a king or queen, but a typical, anonymous villager. Try to picture their daily life: their work, family, and the events that shaped them. Think about their experiences—being born, interacting with family, working the land, attending religious services, socializing, perhaps even their first kiss or playing sports. Many people didn’t live long during this period, so maybe they faced illness, injury, or death at a young age. Feel free to create a story for them.
However, since there were no photographs or other means of documentation, we can never know what this person looked like. It’s likely that no paintings or records of their existence have survived. In fact, there’s a good chance that no trace of this individual remains at all. Yet, we know that such people existed—millions of them, just like this one, throughout history.
Imagine that, despite the lack of records, Random Renaissance Person led a life much like our own, experiencing everyday moments and significant events that defined their existence. Whether it was something as simple as seasonal illnesses or as significant as the death of a loved one, these were the events that made up their life, shaping who they were—just as our own experiences shape us today.
Now, consider your own life in the present day. Look around you—whether at home, work, or in your surroundings—and ask yourself: How is your life influenced by the life of Random Renaissance Person? Is there anything in your environment that can be traced back to them or their time?
All the struggles, joys, and milestones of Random Renaissance Person’s life are now completely gone. In fact, their entire existence is lost to time. It’s as if they never lived at all. Their efforts, hopes, and fears are irrelevant to us now. Even if they had descendants who affected the course of history, their personal life, as we understand it, has no impact on our world today.
It’s fascinating to think about—an entire life rendered seemingly irrelevant by the passage of time. It’s easy to think this only happens to those who lived long ago. But have you ever wandered through an antique store and come across old photos of unknown people—perhaps from the 1950s or ‘60s—people engaged in seemingly important life events like graduations, marriages, or family gatherings? Yet, these people are forgotten, their lives unknown, their significance lost.
We often think that our lives are too important to be forgotten, that our experiences and memories will always matter. Surely, our thoughts, opinions, and beliefs are essential—not only to us but to humanity as a whole. We have friends and family who will remember us and keep our legacies alive. We’ll never fade away like those unknown faces, right?
But here’s the thing: the world of form—this world we cling to—is not as significant as we like to believe. It is temporary and fleeting. We try to hold on to our identities, our bodies, and our accomplishments as though they define us. But, just as the life of Random Renaissance Person eventually faded, so will everything we deem important. Our bodies, our possessions, our titles—one day they will all vanish as quickly as smoke.
So, what remains when it’s all gone? Does everything just disappear, returning to the earth? Or could there be something deeper, something permanent, behind the ever-changing surface of life? Is it possible that, even when all appearances change and fade, something timeless remains? Can we really be “here” in one moment and “not here” in another? Is “being” so fleeting and transient?
Is it?