Of the essence

The clone/pod person/evil twin is a common SciFi plot device. I always find myself yelling at the TV screen in frustration. Come on, how can the other characters not realize that this person is an obvious fake? I like to think that I would notice if anyone I know was suddenly replaced by an alien doppelganger. But maybe I wouldn't. Maybe this has already happened, unbeknownst to me. (Though to what end I have no idea. It's not like I'm hiding the secrets of the universe in my attic or anything. If I did have any secret treasures, I'd hide them in a cookie jar because you never see villains eating cookies.)

This always gets me thinking about what it is that makes us Us. How we know people, not merely by their outward appearance, but by their essence, their unique personality, mannerisms, spirit and shared experiences. There is something more to us, and we recognize this somehow, without really knowing how or why.

One of my favorite quotes is from The Elegance of the Hedgehog by Muriel Barbery:

“They didn't recognize me," I repeat.

He stops in turn, my hand still on his arm.

"It is because they have never seen you," he says. "I would recognize you anywhere.”

I think that's one of the nicest things anyone can say to you. I see you, I recognize you, I know you, I love you. And this will always be true, throughout all time and space and alien invasions.

Lyric of the moment: "I wish I was your favorite girl. I wish you thought I was the reason you are in the world. I wish my smile was your favorite kind of smile. I wish the way I dressed was your favorite kind of style. I wish you couldn't figure me out but you'd always wanna know what I was about..."