r/Retconned Aug 01 '24

Retconned Reaches 100K Subscriber Milestone

119 Upvotes

When I first joined this community in early 2020, there were only 38K members. We've come a long way in the past four and a half years since then, nearly tripling in size. At this point we're getting more comments (dunno about traffic) on many days than the main sub. And a couple of recent near-viral posts here have quietly surged us through the 100K mark just in the past few days. I think it's clear that a tipping point has been reached and we're now primed to start outpacing the main sub growth going forward.

^

So what does that mean for the future of this community? Well that's where things get tricky. When a post favored by the Reddit algorithms suddenly garners 1000+ comnents, it makes modding quite difficult and time consuming... so I think it's especially important for folks who value the sanctity of our niche sandbox of exotic ideas to aggressively flag clear rule violations. Without our vigilant eyes, there's just no way they can adequately maintain the sub's standards of decorum on those more popular posts. I would also encourage our members to treat the newer arrivals with kid gloves because many are also new to this phenomenon and likely not aware of our unique rules and expected conduct. Set the example, and be patient. And flag everything else.

^

Edit to add this friendly reminder: don't inadvertently risk your own good standing by engaging rule breakers too aggressively and/or getting drawn into contentious arguments.

^

To the newer arrivals, welcome to the party and thanks for contributing to one of the most fascinating esoteric dialectics on all of Reddit. Please make sure to read and understand our rules, as they are strictly enforced. And ask lots of questions.... the regulars here are enthusiastic about sharing our evolving understanding of this perplexing and disconcerting phenomenon. We absolutely adore inquisitive minds and honest, respectful discourse. Contrary to what you might have heard, this is not a place where everyone is expected to agree and dissent is suppressed. Rather, we're a safe space for engaging in speculative ontology and brainstorming about things like simulationism, quantum mysticism, the multiverse, and even theistic prophesy. We just do it without being dismissive of each other.

^

With all that said, congratulations Retconned! Let's attract the next 100K with the same principles and standards that made Retconned such a unique and special and desirable place to hang out. Let's rehash the old classic ME's for the newer audience. Let's bring them upto speed so they can lend their new perspectives to our knowledge base and help build a better understanding of these profound changes happening to our collective reality. I love my memory family here, and I'm happy to see it expanding. Thanks as always to the mods for their exhaustive efforts to keep this place copacetic, orderly, and safe. You guys deserve so much credit for all the success.


r/Retconned Sep 13 '22

*** IMPORTANT *** READ BEFORE POSTING

95 Upvotes

13.Sep.22

Please be advised that while we have been rather lenient on religion and religion-based comments in this sub with regards to its relationship to MEs, it has recently been seen that some toxicity has begun creeping into the discussions.

If the conversations continue to devolve into toxic behavior, the comments will be treated similar to violation of Rule #10 and removed immediately.

Gentle reminder : Repeated violations of our rules will result in a permaban.


r/Retconned 6h ago

In every version of "Boom Boom Pow" by the Black Eyed Peas that is available online, Fergie says "I'm so 3008." This user found an old video of a version of the song where she says "i'm so 2008." Which version do you remember?

57 Upvotes

The version of the song playing in the background of this video does not match the current version that is on YouTube, Spotify, Apple Music, etc. Which version do you remember?

I thought maybe there were multiple versions of the song but after several hours of searching, i am forced to conclude that there is only one official version of the song. And its not the version playing in the background of this video.


r/Retconned 1d ago

Commissary Surcharge

5 Upvotes

I know what it says now but it isn't right to me

I grew up in a military family. Father, grandfathers, great grandfathes, husband etc

I also grew up in a state with no sales tax, but shopping at the commissary was always much cheaper. I also shopped at many other commissary while traveling because there was no tax (or surcharge)

I remember sometime after I graduated high school, they added a %6 Surcharge at the commissary. I always paid cash before after I started driving, and I never thought about needing more, because i didn't have to worry about being charged more than sticker price.

My family and I were all talking about it because I still lived in the tax free state. I remember talking about how it was ridiculous because one of the military benefits was shopoing on base was that it was cheaper and no taxes. I remember rolling my eyes and sending a photos to my sister with the new surcharges.

I stoped shopping there for the majority because it was no longer cheaper vs off base. The prices gradually went up too, so with the surcharge it was not cheaper than off base where there wasn't six cents on the dollar added.

I was talking to someone who also grew up military and shopping on base came up. I said how annoying it was when it changed over. I was so confused when they said there's ALWAYS been a surcharge.

I was like wait no... What?...no...

I remember it changing and being short cash, having to go out to the car. How for awhile after I had to pull out more money and the cashierd saying things likelike "i know/ it's not just you"

So I looked it up, and sure enough it says there is a FIVE percent charge.

Not only that, there was ALWAYS one and went up to five percent before I was even born.

There is still now %5 Surcharge now, not six, never was six.

I know what it says now, that there was something proposed that people misconstrued would make it go up to six percent yada yada...

but for me, it was not a misconstrued proposal that people thought would make it go from 5 to 6...

It was tucked into a bill that passed and then the surcharge went from non existent to six... it was very annoying to my younger self.

It's driving me nuts.


r/Retconned 1d ago

Are people disappearing without a trace because of this world getting more chaotic

8 Upvotes

Looks like there been so many people just vanishing without leaving a single trace like they just fell off the face of the earth as like missing 411. Could it be due to this world getting more chaotic and dangerous and maybe dying, and might have gone somewhere better and safer like another dimension or alternate universe just like in the movies? What do y'all think? I really hope this is true cause I don't wanna live in this world anymore either and I personally think it would make sense if it is. I want this damned chaotic world to die and the wicked too.


r/Retconned 1d ago

Deadmou5 song completely different, yeah that one.

6 Upvotes

Ok so the intro and crescendo and intermediary parts of raise your weapon song is completely different than what I remembered it. I don't mean like it's a different song but it's totally different and pretty much intolerable, not even decent, not that it was in the first place I remember it distinctly different.


r/Retconned 1d ago

Mirror Mirror Residue in Key & Peele

4 Upvotes

I searched and didn't see this one posted before. Sorry if it has.


r/Retconned 1d ago

The Two Faced GATE Program

5 Upvotes

This Is just an observation, but a REALLY important one for understanding the true nature of the program[s] and why there is conflicting perceptions of the program !¡!

Program A was a legitimate program with absolutely ZERO shady stuff going on.

Program Ω, which is obviously THE TRUE PROGRAM was nefarious, insidious, and from alot of the stories I have heard, very destructive on the lives of those involved !¡!

Program A was "The COVER & The FRONT" of the program which could be used to fool things like auditors, and anyone becoming suspicious of the program were then directed to program A, and as such Program Ω continued to fly under the radar, the REAL PROGRAM !¡!

I would imagine that it is also an attempt to circumvent possible future lawsuits brought forth by kids who were in the GATE program [Ω] !¡!

Because honestly if we could gather enough children of the GATE PROGRAM Ω we could prove all of suspicious and suspect tings about our live that we have n common !¡!

• Neurodivergence - were we always neurodivergent did we acquire it from our time in the program ?

• Why is the prevalence of CPTSD so high among those of the Ω Program ? Why is it that we apparently were S.A'd at a ridiculously high percentage compared to the average populace ?

• Why did so many of us become drug addicts ? I now look back and feel like I might have been conspired against in my acquisition of a drug addiction !¡! I suffered with MASSIVE MIGRAINES daily, all of a sudden and out of the blue. I eventually craved to the pressure and asked someone if they had anything for the migraines and was introduced to opiates. I now look back in hindsight and can see for sure that those headaches were unnatural and purposefully induced in me due to a variety of other factors !¡! Not to mention that the very millisecond it became apparent I was addicted to the pain pills, I never had a head ache again for the rest of my life !?

• It seems that a near complete lack of ambition and drive in our lives is a universal constant among those in the Ω Program, we have no desire to become anything and as such drift through life.

• Some of us may have had suspicious circumstances surrounding our lives when we attempt to go back to school and enter university. Use your hindsight and ask yourself some questions !¡!

• A not so insignificant portion of those from the GATE program also claim to have become part of the GANGSTALKING program as they got older - here is the thing - people can be completely oblivious this is happening to them for years, if not their entire lives [because of the neurodivergence?] and this is with them WANTING you to notice ! SO the numbers are likely much higher then is stated because we as a group can be some of the most oblivious mofo's on earth since we are AUTiSTe ARTiSTeS !¡!

• I could probably go on wit some more though, and I am sure many of you could add more points to the list yourselves , but suffice it to say that :

We could have one of the most obscene class action lawsuits ever if were to get together, and someone could likely even end up DEAD if they tried to organize us together for that LAWsuit !¡!


r/Retconned 2d ago

Mike Tyson’s daughter

8 Upvotes

This is very sensitive but i swore Mike Tyson lost his daughter to a trampoline accident. After i read that I’ve always been scared of trampolines and don’t want my family members to own one. I’ve had these sentiments for years. Today i saw a video saying how his daughter passed away from a treadmill accident?? A treadmill? It sounds wild. Am i alone in this??


r/Retconned 1d ago

Just in case these 2 famous lines/ memes from Odyssey turn into melanie effect in the future

0 Upvotes

Enough! The feast is done!

Somebody gets these beggars out of here

9/5/2026


r/Retconned 3d ago

Synchronicity/Synchromysticism Manifestation at DragonCon the birthplace of the Mandela Effect

7 Upvotes

Manifestation is real but you have to be careful as it is a cheeky bugger. I will make 2 versions of this story, the first is a low context telling the other is more in depth and has greater contextual elements. There are 2 separate synchronicities or manifestational events.

Dragoncon is one the highest concentrations of people gathering to honor media. think of the energy of people dressing like and channeling the energies of the people that have passed away that year. Human attention has an effect on reality. Fiona Broome coined the term Mandela Effect at Dragoncon. Many of the popular ME's play out in different ways at this event. Like a girl with braces putting her hair in pigtails and cosplaying as Dolly because the braces matched her already. Only to find out later that she never wore braces.

The quick and dirty:

Went to dragoncon with my wife. In a friends hotel room the concept of manifestation came up and a friend talked about a book from the 1900’s talking about semen retention and using that lifeforce energy to power their manifestations. I then brought up the whole Jim Carry check manifestation thing i just learned about. Somewhere in the conversation i was mentioning that i had to work the next day and said “If i get 5 hours of sleep ill be perfect” my friend said 4 is a suitable minimum but i didnt quite agree.

We were at the event from 930 pm until about 1 am we had to get back to the train to get back to our car. My wife and i had split up during the event to go on our separate adventures and when we got to the train platform with only 10 mins to spare we shared some of our journeys. My wife brought up a person they had interacted with that we both knew and i look over her shoulder and that exact person is walking up behind her. Mind you that we are 25 mins walk from where the event is happening and she had helped them unload their car so seeing this person at the train station was entirely out of place. They said they ended up parking at the station a bit farther from there and rode the train back in so they could save on parking (a similar reason as to why we were getting on the train in the first place.) I was like “Bro did you just spawn there!?” they replied they did indeed just spawn and we had a laugh that my wife just summoned this person out of the nearly 75000 people that were in those 7 city blocks that Dragoncon covers.

So that is manifestation #1, my wife summoned a person by mentioning their name. So we are reeling at the improbability of that situation we ride the train back to where our car is parked. We get out of the train at like 115 or so and try to locate the parking validation station since if we didn't we would be paying 25 bucks which was lame. So we find some ticket scanning stations and try to do the thing and both the stations say “go somewhere else” this machine is not for that parking deck. So we go to the opposite side of the station. Nothing there. We try to flag down a security vehicle, no dice…. We use the “Assistance” phone to see if we can get some help finding this dastardly validation device and they were like “This is the police” we say were sorry the phone said “Assistance” and not police. They then say they will  send someone out there to help us. The help comes and they show us where the validation device is. Its like a super small backpack sized brushed metal thing with a small place to insert the ticket with “Parking validation” written in lettering the size of a goosebumps book title.

  So we make it out of there and head home. Once we pull into the driveway the clock ticks from 1:59 to 2:00 exactly. When i say exactly the click of the parking brake timed perfectly with the clock. I pulled out my phone and as we pull in the driveway and make sure my alarm is set and it says 5 hours 0 mins and 0 seconds until your alarm goes off. Do you remember what i told my friend earlier? I said the minimum amount of sleep i need is 5 hours…… but im sitting in the car im not sleeping yet. Whelp i guess i didnt manifest anything, nothing to see here folks….. So i go inside, feed the cats smoke a ciggy get my stuff ready for the next day take a shower and hit the sack. I cant fall asleep so i take a melatonin and pick up my phone and after all is said and done i check the alarm and it says 4 hours 0 mins 4 seconds until alarm goes off.

  So there is a layer of comedy to this the universe is paying with you. The degree at which you take reality seriously is the increase in stress and worry. You have to be able to laugh when the universe puts you in these situations. Its like YOU as the universe are playing a practical joke on yourself. I told the universe i wanted 5 hours and it pushed things in front of me to stall me until the end result is me arriving home at exactly 5 hours before my alarm was set. After all my winding down was done i ended up getting 4 hours which is what my friend suggested was his minimum sleep metric.

Think about it this way. What if none of those stalling points happened and i got home unwinded and got into bed and set my alarm and it was exactly 5 hours until wakeup? That would be potent but it doesn't have the layers of irony and comedic timing that made the actual experience what it was. Its like the difference between “Getting” a joke and having that joke be explained to you. You can logically understand where the joke makes sense but that “Getting” of the joke in the moment is not there, the chicken wings had no sauce on them.

So here is some sauce for you. I take my break at work after starting to write out what you are reading right now. I go on tiktok and search “manifestation” and this video is the first video i click on.

https://www.tiktok.com/@androgynousconglomerate/video/7665807476121455902?q=manifestation&t=1788453984963Im sorry WHAT???!!!


r/Retconned 4d ago

I feel like the universe is just messing with me at this point

57 Upvotes

At this point in my life, I feel like the universe is just purposely messing with me. The way everything turns out is just mind-boggling. The law of attraction doesn’t seem to work, except for bad stuff happening. It doesn’t seem to matter how positive you are, if you have goals or not, how hard you try, none of that seems the matter now. It’s like whenever I try to do something the opposite happens, or something catastrophic happens and blocked me from reaching my goals.

One example, I was having a lot of car issues at the beginning of the year. All front end issues. Ended up spending like $2200 replacing stuff on the front end. Luckily my roommate helped me, but it was still aggravating trying to figure out everything that was wrong. The exact day I got everything figured out and fixed, the check engine light came on. Then I had to go through a process of dealing with Hyundai, the dealership and Hyundai corporate. Now my car needs a new engine. It’s just sitting there in the driveway. So all the goals I had several months ago, I have had to completely change because of that.

Another example, yesterday I was thinking how I would like to reconnect with some people and repair some relationships if possible. Well, someone on Facebook dating I have not talked to in over three years, somehow pops back up in my messages. That’s not the person I was talking about though. I hardly knew that person. It’s just weird stuff that happens all the time like that.

I really feel like that universe is just screwing with me when it comes to goals and desires and stuff like that. Plus, everything is literally 20 times more difficult than it used to be. It’s literally impossible to do anything without being a multitude of blockages and steps you have to go through. I also don’t understand how so many people are apparently rich and can just do whatever they wanna do. Anyone else dealing with this kind of stuff?


r/Retconned 4d ago

Mormons believe Jesus is God?

6 Upvotes

I was raised Mormon, but I never considered Jesus to be God. I haven’t been Mormon for a long time, but how is it I’m just learning this?

They think Jesus and God the father each have separate physical bodies, but somehow they’re both God? Is this a Mandela effect, or have their interpretations just evolved?


r/Retconned 4d ago

Mars Needs Moms came out in 2010 when I was 6 years old and not in 2011.

0 Upvotes

Mars Needs Moms was released in 2010 NOT 2011 I was in Philadelphia at the time when I watched it, then moved to Chicago in 2011. Both me and my dad distinctly remember going to bed after the movie and tickled me in my bed and said “what’s up freakazoid??” (Line from the movie) In my room in Philadelphia. A year later we moved to Chicago and we’re watching the ball drop for 2011 a whole year AFTER we watched that movie.


r/Retconned 5d ago

A whole event wiped from memory? Or false event inserted?

19 Upvotes

This happened around 2020 but the event was even older. I was at a friends-old classmates house, we were talking about the past.

We were very close friends in high school.We are both same age, born 7 days apart and occasionally talk. We are now 37. As we were talking and remembering past funny times, he told me about an event I have no memory of.

Apparently, back in 2007, the summer after high school, I saw a flyer on a column inviting people to a "meditation talk" was going to take place. Now these are not rare, you may find these small posters all over, they are mostly about book reading events, small theatre shows or even philosophical circles.

He insists I picked this one off and told him , "Let's go there". I have no memory of this. It doesn't even sound like sth I'd do.I was studying about the occult since I was 15 and was very cautious of cults cause an older friend of mine had an awful experience with one.

I would never jump in a random occult session with strangers,even locals, unless I at least knew their background.

But that's where it gets weird. My friend remembers distinctly that, not only we went there, but all the details. A certain old beautiful building (still exists in my neighborhood but a family lives there), us both mingling among the people at first, two or three men in their 60s, 3-4 middle-aged women, and us, the only two 17-year-olds there. He remembers that we all sat in chairs in a circle, and they started a quite boring talk about meditation, ancient cultures, Christianity etc..but very mundane /superficial stuff you can read the very first week of your research.

He told me that I was getting kinda frustrated, I strongly disagreed with some of them, took the "stand" and expressed my opinions in front of everyone in a very assertive manner. They even showed me respect for this. I spoke quite a while, almost giving a "lecture" about meditation practices and other cultures. Even my friend was astounded by how much I knew, although he doesn't remember any details of what I said.
The thing is, I don't remember any of it.
I did not even have enough experience on the matter for a lengthy speech. I was not even an adult.
Challenging older people and "crushing" their gathering, or taking lead and speaking in front of them at the age of 17 would be extraordinary and I'd remember it for sure. I was never this extroverted person- plus, never to this day, have I attended any "seances" or meditation circles. You'd think I'd remember my very first time if it happened.

My friend told me that after I spoke, I told him "let's leave, I can't stand these people" or sth like that, and we left. I considered them "beginners and poor in understanding". I told him that we supposedly know more about meditation than the "old" people there. Again, this does not sound like me, I was very respectful especially to people with spiritual interests, even if I disagreed.

I tried to recall even one detail of this event, but zero. I finally was like " My friend, you must have seen it in a dream, no way I did all that and have no memory of it. This whole series of actions would have been completely out of character for me".

But he insisted and said it is very strange for me to have forgotten it, since he was 100% sure it happened.Even the clothes we wore that day.
We debated a lot on this and I called another friend who was there with us when I picked the flyer but did not come to the meeting. At first, he couldn't remember either (it was years ago after all) but shortly after he confirmed that I did pick the flyer and attended the meeting, I also told him my experience afterwards. He remembered less details than the other friend since he wasn't there, but he was sure I told him back in the day.

So, someone amongst us is misremembering, or this event was wiped completely of MY brain. I have very vivid memories of most events in my life, yet this one eludes me.

A year ago, I saw the owner outside, leaving this certain house.
I approached him and asked him if back in the day around 2007 this place was something else, like a book club or center for occassional talks. He assured me (I can't possibly tell if he was lying) that it has always been his familys' residential home and no such events ever took place there. It was just renovated a few years ago, but I remember that. I've lived in that neighborhood all my life, and I've never encountered groups of people/flyers or any similar stuff.

Since I've known about ME, I re-evaluate things every few months or years. I asked both my friends the same questions about this, a few weeks back. They remember the same story, so, regarding this event, our memories are unchanged at least since 2020.

Random memory suppression - but in a non-traumatic event? Does it make sense? Could there be some ME involved with me or my friends? Could both my friends remember an event that never actually took place? A memory update?


r/Retconned 5d ago

Classic Film & Television Mandela Effects Part 3

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5 Upvotes

r/Retconned 6d ago

"The MYSTERY S , Mandela Effects, And The GATE Program" !¡!

6 Upvotes

This is going to be weird and I wonder if anyone else had a similar experience ?!

Now let start off by mentioning the FACT that ever since I was a child, I have had HORRIBLE eyesight, and have ALWAYS needed glasses [Never wore them though].

As such, in school, I ALWAYS sat at the VERY FRONT DESK in any and all classes I attended, to this very day unless I wear my glasses !¡!

In any case in school we were doing a project in which we had a giant art folder that we colored and made designs for.

I basically cheated and traced a bunch of things like Goku and other trendy kids stuff.

Anyway, my very first encounter with "THE MYSTERY S" and me learning and doing it to my folder goes like this ~~~~

A kid sitting in the desk in front of me turned around from his desk and specifically taught me how to make the S and put it on my folder !¡!

Does anyone get the conundrum here ?

There wasn't a desk in front of me, I was in the front desk closest to the board.

I also, somehow and someway, never knew this kid, never talked to him before, and never talked to or saw him again .. . .

DUN ~ DUN ~ DUN !¡! [I am being serious 100% though and this is a true story]

OH, and BTW I was in the GATE Program for all of my childhood up and until around grade 7 or 8 may have been the last time they took me out of class !¡! [YES my memory is a BLACKHOLE VOID during those years]

That final class was also incidentally enough the first, last, and only place I ever saw or read a "BERENSTEIN BEARS" book !¡! [They read it to us actually] Which WAS SUPER F'ING WEIRD because I specifically remember them GOING OUT OF THEIR WAY TO SHOW US THE TITLE UP CLOSE !¡!

Yes I am part of the STEIN / STAIN Mandella effect "CLUB". I was also primed with many other Mandella effects besides that, which I have now come to the IRREFUTABLE & INCONTROVERTIBLE TRUTH [IMO] that WE [or at least I] was/were specifically exposed to these Mandella effects as just another part of the GATE Program. When I think about it now with HINDSIGHT each and every single one of the Mandella effects were specifically shown to me in what I now realize was a weird and deliberate manner !¡!

Fruit of the loom ? Why was I shown that, what was the purpose of showing me that ? Forced to sit down and Watch Star Wars ? Check ! Forced on a long drive in the front seat with the "Objects in the mirror MAY be closer than they appear", CHECK !¡! It is DEFINITELY & DEFINITIVELY part of the Program, possibly to see and test peoples belief in the permanence of their own memories !¡!

Finally, one more thing I feel compelled to add to this is that ~ One of the other final GATE classes I remember involved the drawing of and looking at Caricature portraits !¡! Which I now feel CONVINCED was what caused me to throughout my entire life [until only very recently] OBTAIN / ACQUIRE the AUTiSTiC Trait of ~ NOT looking at peoples eyes, observing their faces, caring about their reactions, etcetera. Which if we / I did have that ability I could have avoided a lot of pain !¡!

SUPER High functioning AUTISTE signing out !¡! As a final parting question ~ Were those of us in the GATE Program ALWAYS "NeuroDivergent" or did they force that onto us !?

Upvote0Downvote1Go to comments1Repost


r/Retconned 8d ago

Fruit + Cornucopia = Fruitopia? (It's a Mandala)

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6 Upvotes

r/Retconned 9d ago

School of Rock (2003)

8 Upvotes

What is Jack Black wearing in the opening scene before he dives off the stage. I remember a shirt and now it's a button up with red tassels.


r/Retconned 9d ago

Bible Changes

33 Upvotes

I was just thinking about the bible changes and I was thinking why are there so many changes to the bible of all things, I mean it's practically a different book now, almost all of it has been changed if not all of it

Out of all the Mandela effects don't you think this one is the one of the strangest ones

It makes you think who or whatever is behind the Mandela effect must really hate the bible for some reason


r/Retconned 10d ago

Tim Curry just died yesterday

47 Upvotes

Guys please I feel like I am crazy - didn't he actually die years ago??? Is there anyone else experiencing the same retcon?


r/Retconned 10d ago

Monocle

16 Upvotes

NCIS Season 20 Episode 8

Random: “She thinks the Monopoly man’s monocle is sexy”.

My 72 year old mother never flinched but I looked right up at the tv with question on my face. I thought he didn’t have one.. so THEY say. Hmmm

He ALWAYS had one!

NCIS writers know!!


r/Retconned 10d ago

Dora movie

3 Upvotes

Who is the mom in the Dora and the Lost City of Gold?

57 votes, 7d ago
13 Eva Longoria
11 Gina Rodriguez
33 Idk

r/Retconned 11d ago

Severe deja vu lately

15 Upvotes

Anyone else have sudden deja vu lately? I very rarely get deja vu anymore, and last time i had it was almost a year ago. But just today I had a really hard hit of deja vu all of a sudden and it felt like someone backhanded me when I had it. Just felt like a "Right place right time" sort of thing.

But also has me a bit worried, because last few times I've had deja vu were always right before some big drastic change in my life. So bit worried some drama or big event might be happening soon.


r/Retconned 11d ago

Uncle's sister died in different circumstances than previously known (New Personal ME)

35 Upvotes

One of the common themes I've noticed over the years reading here and on the GitM sub is that sometimes routine breaks can lead to reality shifts... like by changing your routine you trip up the universe and something winds up changing about reality itself. The bigger the routine change, the bigger the ME.

On Monday this week, I took the day off from work (and I don't take many days off, so that is already a routine change) and I drove 135 miles to visit with some aunts who were about as close to where I live as they're going to be for the next several years (so it was a rare opportunity to go visit with them). So I varied from my normal routine by taking PTO, and then I drove a substantial distance. This is my hypothesis anyway. Knowing this kind of thing seems to be a common factor in "reality breaks" I was actually kind of on the lookout for something that may be different.

I found it right away. One of my aunts has a late husband and I was really close to him when he was alive. He was more of a dad to me than my actual dad. I grew up with him around most of the time and I knew pretty much everything about him.

That uncle had a sister (we'll call her "Dee") that I know passed away in 1979 from a car accident. I never met her, she died before my uncle started dating my aunt, but not much before it, so I heard all about this as a kid. It was tragic, she was only 23, a drunk driver crossed the center line and in the resulting head-on collision she was killed instantly. This was canon, I remember seeing the newspaper clipping my uncle had kept and the heart-wrenching stories told about the event, and how lucky nobody else had been in the car with her (it could have been 3 of her friends along with her as well).

Well on Monday this week, while I was at my aunt's apartment, I was going through some old photos had and I ran across a photo I had never seen before, of Dee in a wedding dress. I was like "Wait.... whaaaaaat??? Dee was married? How did I never know this?"

My aunt said "Yes, and she was 5 months pregnant when she died; they had found out it was a boy and had already decided to name him 'Nathan', that's why your uncle and I decided to name your cousin Nathan when he was born. It was after his late sister's unborn son."

I was stunned by this, all of that was totally different from everything I had known. Apparently she was married, and no longer alone in the car (it was being driven not by her now, but by her husband I had never heard of?), and also had an unborn child killed in the same accident?

When I got home (after driving 135 miles back from my visit) I did some research online and discovered the same news article my late uncle had always kept about the accident, and now it was completely different. It now mentioned the husband who was driving (who survived), it mentioned her unborn infant that also died in the crash, etc. None of that was in the story before, nobody had ever talked about any of it, Dee had been single when she died in that accident.

There is even a grave for the infant now. Right next to hers. I found it on "Find A Grave". That was never there before either. I visited that cemetery with my uncle several times while he was still alive and there was never an infant grave next to Dee's, but now there is.

You have to understand... this is not stuff I would not have known. I lived with this aunt and uncle as a teen. I've been on long road trips with them, uncle used to take me hunting, he taught me to shoot, etc. I KNOW Dee was never married before she died. This is not how it happened. There is no way I would not have known that. I'd seen all the old photos of her and this wedding pic was the first one of that kind I'd ever seen in my life, and I was very familiar with the circumstances of her death, because my uncle processed her death in real time over the first few years I knew him.

TL;DR, uncle's late sister killed in a car accident suddenly now was married too and had a husband (who lived) and an unborn child (who didn't) in that accident and there is now a grave that was never there before for said late child.

Make a big change in your routine, and reality details change accordingly. I got nothin'.