Sunday, January 26, 2014

Ancient and Forever

Doctor Who, The Family of Blood, 2 June 2007:
Because I've seen him. He's like fire and ice and rage. He's like the night, and the storm in the heart of the sun. He's ancient and forever... He burns at the center of time and he can see the turn of the universe... And... he's wonderful.
What fantastic writing!
At first read, the phrase "ancient and forever" appears redundant. Especially since the tone and tense of the statements remains in the present. Ancient generally implies the past, but clearly not in this statement. It's about a being that has been alive for a very, very long time. Forever implying that this being will continue on for a very long time as well.

I know that this particular quote came from a Doctor Who episode ~ yet it can describe any being from any mythology with an eternal presence. Ancient and forever ~ past, present and future ~ one who is everpresent in the conscious world.

That's why the writing is so glorious! Paul Cornell, the writer of this episode, captures the essence of the eternal being in mythology. The obverse is that this being is also ageless.... and capable of changing appearance!

What do you think of when you hear the phrase "ancient and forever"? How important is an eternal being in your life?

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