Snapshots

by Shingo

A Lesson From Alice

“Here you go, Twilight. Happy un-birthday!”

“Happy what now?”

“Un-birthday, this is your un-birthday present.”

“And what’s an un-birthday present?”

“Duh! It’s a present you receive on your un-birthday. Everypony knows that.”

“I think I’d prefer birthday presents,”

“What?! You don’t know what you’re talking about!”

“Come again?”

“How many days are there in a year?”

“Three hundred and sixty-five. Three hundred and sixty-six if it’s a leap year.”

“Exactly. And how many birthdays do you have?”

“One.”

“That is exactly why we should celebrate un-birthdays. A gift is given to another to show affection, it shows that one is loved and cared for. Unfortunately, for some reason we only do so on special occasions, such as birthdays or anniversaries. I don’t believe that we should do that. I believe that we should always show that we care for others. Birthdays and anniversaries especially, since they’re special.”

“So you go around giving gifts to your friends every day it isn’t their birthday?”

“That’s right.”

“But I was with you and Applejack yesterday, you didn’t give either of us a gift that day.”

“Silly Twilight. Gifts don’t have to be physical to be considered gifts.”

“Stop ruffling my mane. I’m aware of that, but you didn’t do anything special for us.”

“Sure I did, the greatest gift is a portion of yourself. When you visited Sweet Apple Acres, what were me an Applejack doing?”

“Applejack was bucking trees, and you were putting baskets on a cart.”

“And there’s the gift.”

“I don’t understand.”

“What else is new?”

“Hey!”

“Let’s continue with that line of thinking. Applejack needed help, and if the greatest gift is a portion of yourself, then me offering to help can be considered a gift.”

“That… makes sense, in a weird way. What did you give me yesterday?”

“The present.”

“Yes, I know, we’re talking about the un-birthday present you gave me yesterday. What was the present?”

“The present.”

“I know, Pinkie. But what was… you’re using the word ‘present’ to mean ‘now’ aren’t you?”

“Yep! See, you were too focused on your history research. So I thought you would need a break from yesterday, and I brought you the present.”

“What?”

“Yesterday is history, tomorrow is a mystery, and today is Faust’s gift. That’s why it’s called the present. I was just bringing you today because you were too focused on yesterday. It would be a waste of a gift if all you did today was focus on yesterday’s mistakes wouldn’t it?”

“I suppose so. Your mad logic is actually starting to make sense to me… I’m not sure whether to be scared or elated about that.”

“Don’t worry about that. You’re among mad ponies.”

“I don’t want to be among mad ponies.”

“Oh, you can’t help that. We’re all mad here. I’m mad, you’re mad.”

“How do you know I’m mad?”

“You must be, or you wouldn’t have come to live here. Besides, you’ve said it yourself: ‘all the ponies in this town are crazy.’ If all of the ponies in this town are crazy, and you yourself live in the town, then you must be crazy.”

…

“Twilight?”

“Do you really think that?”

“Think what?”

“Do you think I’ve gone mad? Crazy? Insane?”

“I’m afraid so. You’re mad, bonkers, completely off your head. But I’ll tell you a secret.”

“And what would that be?”

“All the best ponies are mad. And you’re no exception.”