I love the feeling of sitting around the table with your friends and laughing so hard your stomach hurts. Laughing so hard it’s like time has stood still, so still you look around and notice little things you have never noticed about these important people before: the little lines that curve out from one’s blue colored almond shaped eyes that only makes a guest appearance at hysterical times like these; the extra bump on the nose of another that she hates, but utterly completes her petite face; the pearly whites of another that come in full view during a hefty laugh, otherwise her teeth are hidden behind a closed smile.
As I sit there still in slow motion, I can’t help but wonder what their slowed down world looks like. Do they see the bright red blemishes on my face that I so desperately and with fail try to cover up with makeup? Maybe they see my split ends and heat-damaged hair? Possibly, the blue bags under my eyes that I continuously thrust upon myself with my late nights and movie binges? I suppose I will never really know what they see and feel.
So, why does this happen? Why does the marvelous feeling of laughing with your best friends slow down the revolution of the moon around the Earth and the Earth around the Sun? Well it doesn’t, but the feeling that it does is certainly real and a common phenomenon. According to Arrow Head Clinic, this sensation is called ‘increased memory packing.’ It is experienced at times when adrenaline is released at such high levels, the ability to recall sights, sounds and smells increases exponentially. This effect is also why frightening situations, like car crashes, also seem to go in slow motion.
This feeling of a slowed down world, a slowed down moment in history is a personal favorite sensation, and I treasure every time this crazy world seemingly ceases to move.