Do you ever get the sense that life is one big, elaborate sitcom? Are you just waiting for the laugh track to kick in so that you know at least someone else is in on this joke we call life? If you’re like me, you might find yourself pondering the absurdity of existence at 3 AM, wondering if there’s some other version of you out there. What if there’s an identical me out there who made slightly better decisions, or at least remembered to turn off the stove before leaving the house? Welcome to the multiverse, where the possibilities are endless and the alternate versions of us are probably much cooler.
Of course, I haven’t sussed out the mechanics of parallel universes. Heck, I barely understand how my microwave works. Still, the idea of infinite realities has been buzzing around in my brain like the latest chart-topper — the kind you can’t get out of your head no matter how many other songs you play. This multiverse business never fully leaves my consciousness. No, it’s not just because I’ve binge-watched too much Star Trek — at least not entirely.
Your life as you’re living it right now is probably just one of countless realities, each with its own unique set of circumstances—some more ridiculous than others. In one reality, you’re a successful entrepreneur, while in another, you’re an artist, and in yet another, you might be exactly where you are now but with slightly better hair. The point is, every decision you make—whether to eat that second donut, to text your ex, or to finally start that novel—splits the universe into yet another reality. Somewhere out there, perhaps occupying the same space we are on some invisible wavelength, all those alternate versions of you are living out the consequences. It’s both comforting and terrifying.
Think about it. What are all the hidden lives we live? What if, in one universe, I’m a world-renowned scientist, and in another, I’m a professional alpaca farmer? It’s a heady concept, sure, but it doesn’t exactly violate any known physical laws—or at least none that I can be bothered to look up right now. Quantum mechanics and string theory hint at these possibilities but try bringing that up at a dinner party and see how fast the conversation grinds to a halt.
So, how many realities can we have? The short answer: all of them. Every possible version of every possible choice you’ve ever made exists somewhere out there in the cosmic soup, each reality branching off from decision points that are so small you might not even notice them. Did you decide to wear that ugly sweater today? Congrats, you just spawned a new universe where you’re the poster child for avant-garde fashion.
Now, before you get too carried away with the idea of your infinitely cooler doppelgangers living it up in parallel worlds, let’s talk about what lies ahead in this reality—the one you’re currently stuck with now. Sure, we can’t see past our present moment into the future, but we can sure as hell learn from what’s come before. If you’re smart, you’ll take a good, hard look at your past and use it to steer your ship in the right direction. But if you’re like most of us, you’ll probably just keep repeating the same mistakes and hope that one of your alternate selves has figured it out by now as consolation.
To some, the belief that we live a variety of different lives in parallel realities is a way to cope with the sheer absurdity of our existence. I mean, who doesn’t want to believe in a version of themselves out there that actually got their act together? Let’s be clear—I’m not talking about reincarnation here. I’m talking about the very real possibility that your life today could be completely different next week. Not because you’ve undergone some profound transformation, but because, in another reality, you finally decided to start doing something new. In another, you kept on doing what seemed to be working already. Either way, both lives are valid—or at least as valid as any of this existential nonsense can be.
Now, if you think this multiverse theory is just some lazy writer’s way to patch up plot holes, think again. Some actual scientists (the kind who wear lab coats and everything) believe that parallel universes might exist. While we can’t exactly hop over to another universe to check things out—at least not yet—there are still plenty of ways to prove or disprove the theory. Who knows? Maybe one day, we’ll be able to travel between universes, or even go back in time to fix our past mistakes. Knowing my luck, though, I’d probably just end up accidentally erasing myself entirely from existence.
For now, I’ll just stick to pondering the infinite realities from the comfort of my beanbag, hoping that somewhere out there in the multiverse, there’s a version of me that’s got it all figured out. Or at least, some version remembered to pick up bread on the way home.
~ Amelia Desertsong
