Reflections on childhood and the concept of eternity

An essay explores the metaphysical perceptions of children, using personal anecdotes to examine how youth encounters the concept of time and eternity. The author recounts a moment when his son, upon seeing the Eiffel Tower at age six, expressed a profound connection to Paris that transcended romanticism, representing instead a spontaneous experience of an eternal moment.

The narrative draws parallels to Marguerite Yourcenar’s ‘Memoirs of Hadrian’ to discuss the perception of plenitude and the inevitability of time. Through observations of his children’s questions regarding existence and past family photographs, the author reflects on essential philosophical inquiries concerning the nature of time and the human experience of finitude.