That's right - two of my favorite movies of my adulthood were seen last weekend. And I'm still so excited about both of them that I need to get this written down. Lincoln is the American story par excellence for the next few school years - it is, after all, the 150th anniversary of so many events from the Civil War - Gettysburg next July, the Gettysburg address next November for starters. The National Park Service has already begun a hugely ramped up program out at the battlefield in Pennsylvania that will continue through all of next year. Anyone who has the opportunity should go. But, in the meantime, we have the stories through the great storytellers of the screen - Steven Spielberg for one. And anything that Ang Lee has a hand in (remember his extraordinary work in Brokeback Mountain?).
Anyway, while I don't wish to start writing movie reviews (yet!), I stand with conviction that that movie will go down as one of the great DVD's to show in high school US history class for years to come. So many performances. So many important scenes. So much description and unpacking of the central character - whom our current President has spent years reading up on. I also stand with conviction that The Life of Pi will become of the great movies of the early 20th century for one reason: it is a global movie. Not made in the American genres, not starring American actors, yet totally comprehensible for all of us - knowing full well that the gross box-office take will probably be multiples in OTHER countries. We will ALL be able to talk about this movie - both Americans, Asians, Africans, Europeans. And that is what makes it so important in the history of cinema. And in the burgeoning development of what I am calling again and again "the global citizen".
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The move coming up is from Jackson to Wilson. About seven miles due west. From my three bedroom, two bath townhouse to a two bedroom one bath part of my mother-in-law's house. It will be first and foremost done (within a couple of weeks) to support Ben to take care of his 85 year old mother. It is being done also to give both of us a huge break on our finances. By going rent free for five months, I was able to dedicate all that money into a car which I have just purchased. Ah, to have wheels again, after six years on the MTA or START bus! Yes, driving is a privilege.
Now, I will be able to increase my mobility exponentially, for the purpose of commutes to the schools here when called upon, for the pleasure of heading down to Salt Lake (300 miles) when needed by projects or my kids, for the privilege of taking the proverbial "road trips" that have provided me much joy throughout my life. Whether to see a neighboring state, or to watch the country unfold (kind of like seeing two centuries of US history in 3-5 days - I highly recommend it!) as I drive I-90, I-80 or even more enjoyably US 30 for a couple thousand miles. Whatever the reason, I now have four wheels. And it is good.
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No regrets. I think that might be the key to a healthy lifestyle above all. But, the responsibility attached to this freedom is to ask for forgiveness to all whom one has offended, whether emotionally, financially or even intellectually. It is the spiritual requirement to take on such a regimen. Someone told me years ago, after I was mauled to near death at Utah Valley University (all that illegal stuffing of my tenure file, all those insane threats from bosses in secret meetings) that I simply forgive and forget.
Well, I will tell you, the BEST thing I have done in order to grow up was to forgive and NOT forget. Because the key to gaining knowledge, understanding and now some wisdom has been to not forget. To learn. To become a man. To be able to offer assistance to others when they themselves are blindsided, in ways similar to what I endured. After all, I don't want two near-death experiences (with my body crashing on Nov 22, 2004 and my mind snapping on March 22, 2005) to be for naught. That would make a mockery of my well-intentioned life. And would cause my well-summoned life to stand without lessons learned, for myself and for others. Which is why I teach. Because that is who I AM. What do you think about any of this? Let me know. ///
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