Infinite

“And I swear, in that moment, we were infinite.”

This is quite possibly one of the most quoted lines from Stephen Chbosky’s Perks of Being a Wallflower. It has become cliché and overused, but does anyone really understand what it means?

When Charlie says this, he is riding with his friends at night. It’s dark outside. They’re listening to their favorite song. Charlie stands up in the back of the truck, and looks around him at the city lights. He is caught up in the moment; after a long time of being mentally unstable, he is finally okay and his future seems bright.

I think Stephen captured in words a feeling that most people don’t recognize and don’t know how to describe. It’s a very specific feeling-generally limited to nighttime drives with those you are most comfortable with and with no particular destination in mind. Music can awaken this feeling, as it connects people to a more introspective, emotional side of themselves. It’s the feeling that comes during these types of moments, when you truly feel alive. Your worries fade away. Your past is erased. Your future has so many bright possibilities. The present is rich and vibrant.

You feel endless. Your future is eternal, stretched out before you. You’re not in any hurry to get anywhere or do anything. You would be perfectly content staying within this moment forever, and you will remember this moment forever. This is what it means to feel infinite.