You've likely seen at least read the book or seen at least one of the adaptations of Mary Rodgers' Freaky Friday, the story of a mother and daughter who can't get along and through magic switching bodies and quite literally seeing the world through the other's eyes one, well, freaky Friday.
That inspired today's burning question from Redditor CryoTraveller, who asked the following question: "You're allowed to body swap with anyone on earth for 24 hours (as in the movie Freaky Friday). Who's life do you swap with and what would you do?"
We actually wish we could see these swaps happen.
"Any astronaut..."
GiphyAny astronaut on the International Space Station so I could float around and see the universe from that perspective.
"Swap with someone wealthy..."
Swap with someone wealthy and "forget" a nice chunk of money somewhere. I'd probably feel bad after but if they can afford to lose it I can afford to gain it.
"He or she gets 24 hours..."
Hmm, I would try to reach out to a wealthy individual, paralyzed from the waist down or at the very least able to lucidly communicate. Such that his or her conscious consent is unquestionable and can be further authenticated by lawyers and verified by reporters.
He or she gets 24 hours to do what they like, provided that they return my body in good condition, without long term repercussions, and with a trusted loved one to keep them company throughout. At the close, an agreed sum will be transferred to my account.
"I would swap with someone..."
I would swap with someone trapped in their body. I know it would suck for me, but maybe they could do something amazing instead of me wasting a day. I recently listened to Lock In and Head On on Audible, so the idea is fresh in my mind.
"Swap with some crazy mass murderer..."
Swap with some crazy mass murderer and abuser. Time out the 24 hours to the minute. Find the tallest building I can find. Jump off seconds before the swap back.
"My husband..."
My husband who is going through chemotherapy, so he could get up and feel good for a day and I could better understand what he is going through on a daily basis.
"I would switch with my mom."
I would switch with my mom. She has a nerve disease and is going through it rough right now so I'd switch really just so she can spend the day in my body and have fun running around pain free for a while.
"I see no downside."
GiphyStephen Hawking.
I die and he comes back to life and into a somewhat functional body.
i see no downside.
"I'd like to know what it feels like..."
Somebody in a loving relationship. I'd like to know what it feels like to be cared about.
"Disband their stable..."
Swap with an ex, and turn their whole sh*t around.
Disband their stable of sidepieces, make amends with good friends they cut off for dumb reasons, let their s/o (if any) go have fun with their friends, throw out their hard recreational drugs, buy healthy groceries and meal prep for the week, and maybe sign them up for some hobby or fitness program.
Hopefully that overhaul puts them in a more positive space. Otherwise I just Netflixed my own Truman Show lolol
"Someone who isn't pregnant..."
Someone who isn't pregnant. I'd go to town on some wine and some sushi and just bask in feeling normal and good.
"I have a lot of negative judgements..."
I have a lot of negative judgements about fatness. I'd swap with an obese person in order to understand what it's like and grow my compassion.
"I'm a private caregiver."
I'm a private caregiver. For three years I have gotten the pleasure to hang out with a couple that is approaching their 70th wedding anniversary. They are the coolest youngest old people I have ever known but with ever advancing dementia they are more and more frequently forgetting their favorite adventures. Not to mention the general aches and pains that come with being ninety. I would switch places with either of them so they could spend the day looking at their photos and hopefully remember their children again or at least have one day not riddled with arthritis. I could spend the day in a comfy chair watching animal planet, win win.
"I would swap with an Instagram model/influencer..."
I would swap with an Instagram model/influencer or a socialite to see what it would be like living as someone in a different social class. The experience would be eye opening or fun provided the conditions of the swap allow me to retain my basic "personality" or intelligence and vice versa with the other person.
I could go on all sorts of wacky adventures around the world or hold discussions about topics I would normally refrain from partaking in.
I'd swap with a person who is extremely unfortunate. Maybe someone experiencing poverty and a debilitating condition. I'd come back to myself and it would open my eyes as to how nice I've got it. I always get myself into a self-pity party because of things that have happened, but at least I have a roof over my head, a comfy bed, food to eat, a job, the ability to go to school, and my health. I'd probably reach out to that person I swapped with and try to help them.
Experiencing death is a fascinating and frightening idea.
Who doesn't want to know what is waiting for us on the other side?
But so many of us want to know and then come back and live a little longer.
It would be so great to be sure there is something else.
But the whole dying part is not that great, so we'll have to rely on other people's accounts.
Redditor AlaskaStiletto wanted to hear from everyone who has returned to life, so they asked:
"Redditors who have 'died' and come back to life, what did you see?"
Sensations
Happy Good Vibes GIF by Major League SoccerGiphy"My dad's heart stopped when he had a heart attack and he had to be brought back to life. He kept the paper copy of the heart monitor which shows he flatlined. He said he felt an overwhelming sensation of peace, like nothing he had felt before."
PeachesnPain
Recovery
"I had surgical complications in 2010 that caused a great deal of blood loss. As a result, I had extremely low blood pressure and could barely stay awake. I remember feeling like I was surrounded by loved ones who had passed. They were in a circle around me and I knew they were there to guide me onwards. I told them I was not ready to go because my kids needed me and I came back."
"My nurse later said she was afraid she’d find me dead every time she came into the room."
"It took months, and blood transfusions, but I recovered."
good_golly99
Take Me Back
"Overwhelming peace and happiness. A bright airy and floating feeling. I live a very stressful life. Imagine finding out the person you have had a crush on reveals they have the same feelings for you and then you win the lotto later that day - that was the feeling I had."
"I never feared death afterward and am relieved when I hear of people dying after suffering from an illness."
rayrayrayray
Free
The Light Minnie GIF by (G)I-DLEGiphy"I had a heart surgery with near-death experience, for me at least (well the possibility that those effects are caused by morphine is also there) I just saw black and nothing else but it was warm and I had such inner peace, its weird as I sometimes still think about it and wish this feeling of being so light and free again."
TooReDTooHigh
This is why I hate surgery.
You just never know.
Shocked
Giphy"More of a near-death experience. I was electrocuted. I felt like I was in a deep hole looking straight up in the sky. My life flashed before me. Felt sad for my family, but I had a deep sense of peace."
Admirable_Buyer6528
The SOB
"Nursing in the ICU, we’ve had people try to die on us many times during the years, some successfully. One guy stood out to me. His heart stopped. We called a code, are working on him, and suddenly he comes to. We hadn’t vented him yet, so he was able to talk, and he started screaming, 'Don’t let them take me, don’t let them take me, they are coming,' he was scared and yelling."
"Then he yelled a little more, as we tried to calm him down, he screamed, 'No, No,' and gestured towards the end of the bed, and died again. We didn’t get him back. It was seriously creepy. We called his son to tell him the news, and the son said basically, 'Good, he was an SOB.'”
1-cupcake-at-a-time
Colors
"My sister died and said it was extremely peaceful. She said it was very loud like a train station and lots of talking and she was stuck in this area that was like a curtain with lots of beautiful colors (colors that you don’t see in real life according to her) a man told her 'He was sorry, but she had to go back as it wasn’t her time.'"
Hannah_LL7
"I had a really similar experience except I was in an endless garden with flowers that were colors I had never seen before. It was quiet and peaceful and a woman in a dress looked at me, shook her head, and just said 'Not yet.' As I was coming back, it was extremely loud, like everyone in the world was trying to talk all at once. It was all very disorienting but it changed my perspective on life!"
huntokarrr
The Fog
"I was in a gray fog with a girl who looked a lot like a young version of my grandmother (who was still alive) but dressed like a pioneer in the 1800s she didn't say anything but kept pulling me towards an opening in the wall. I kept refusing to go because I was so tired."
"I finally got tired of her nagging and went and that's when I came to. I had bled out during a c-section and my heart could not beat without blood. They had to deliver the baby and sew up the bleeders. refill me with blood before they could restart my heart so, like, at least 12 minutes gone."
Fluffy-Hotel-5184
Through the Walls
"My spouse was dead for a couple of minutes one miserable night. She maintains that she saw nothing, but only heard people talking about her like through a wall. The only thing she remembers for absolute certain was begging an ER nurse that she didn't want to die."
"She's quite alive and well today."
Hot-Refrigerator6583
Well let's all be happy to be alive.
It seems to be all we have.
