first time reading Borges and now im very fascinated. this feels like the kind of story that i’d have to read again and again to further comprehend though. it is a deeply existential exploration of the concepts of time and destiny and the title refers to the many near infinite timelines we can through our decisions create in the present moment which borges calls the only real thing since the past and future do not exist, only the present. the shocking ending seems to suggest that our actions can transcend time and space in ways that modern communication technology has made us take for granted. lasting impressions: just like how all the possible futures are unfathomable and unquantifiable, so too is the inner reality of man and his destiny.