Owen went to his first movie today. He and I went to the theater to see Up!
I was in tears ten minutes into the film. I won't give away any details, but it is visually gorgeous, exciting, hilarious, and deeply moving. The opening sequence, which is almost Chaplin-esque, captures the tenderness and risks of lifelong love. Oh, Pixar, you got me again. Go see it, right now. I'll wait.
Are you back now? Here's a Kleenex. Wow, huh?
I believe that songs, books, films, and people enter your life at the right time for the right reason. Call it God's hand, kismet, or fate, it was no accident that Owen and I saw this film today.
As you may have noticed from the last few entries, I've been yearning for...more. More adventure, more time, more freedom, more talent, just...more. Dissatisfaction, like insecurity or discouragement, is an arrow that the devil uses to weaken my faith. I've been feeling dissatisfaction recently, a feeling that I'm on the hamster wheel, and nothing I do is of any real significance.
I don't think I'll give too much of the movie away by describing this scene: The boy in the film, Russell, describes how he and his dad sit on the curb, eating ice cream cones, and play a game where he counts the red cars while his dad counts the blue cars. The boy says, "The little everyday stuff is the most important."
How true. Recently, I've been craving adventure and new experiences, forgetting to treasure the day-to-day magic:
Owen's first taste of movie theater popcorn.
Joel's laughter as he attempts to touch bubbles floating lazily in the air.
Paul and I, sitting on the deck, watching the tomatoes grow.
Owen and Joel, fake coughing back and forth and laughing.
Owen's heavy head resting on my shoulder as I carry him to bed.
As I feed Joel his bottle, watching him grip my finger and gently rub it back and forth on his cheek.
The everyday stuff. It's so easy to imagine another life. This film reminded me to love the life I've got, a life as joyful and buoyant as a red balloon bobbing in the beautiful blue sky.
2 comments:
Shayne and I just saw this movie last night - I was crying too. And I got the same reminder - just to enjoy the every day things that may not seem significant, but they all add up.
My first movie theater experience was The Care Bears Movie. Apparently my friend Margaret and I got scared and hid under the seats, leaving our mothers to take the brunt of the Care Bear Stare. I'm glad Owen's experience was not so marred.
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