{-13hours for accurate posting time, Canada}

"Once in a lifetime."

That phrase plagues me. Ever since a certain time, when that phrase was flung back into my face, it has plagued me.

"But this is once in a lifetime!"

"A lot of things are 'once in a lifetime'. If that's going to be your justification for this, it's going to be your justification for a lot of things. 'Once in a lifetime'. There are too many things that are 'once in a lifetime'. It's too unsubstantial a reason."

I never, ever, used that phrase ever again. Ever. It struck, and stuck in me like... I don't know what. A spiked dagger? No, too much Freudian implications. Maybe it has struck and stuck and dulled, like a scar. But you never forget that tissue was once torn.

"This is once in a lifetime! You wanna _____________, you can do that back in Singapore! Come on, man. You're only here once in a lifetime!"

I think it's a sad lifetime, if I'm only going to be here 'once in a lifetime'.

It's true, what she flung back in my face. You can say 'once in a lifetime' for too many things. Your high-school prom? Your college prom? Graduation dinner?

Marriage?

Every birthday is once in a lifetime too.

"Once in a lifetime" is not reason enough for me, now, for unbridled indulgence, gluttony, splurging, and intoxication.


What is going on?

"Once in a lifetime."

How often do you say that?