What is Your Why?

After a long, long day at work yesterday, I was a tad wired.  It was only 7:30 pm, so I decided to exercise.  Put in five miles. It's what I do.😊

While exercising, I had this internal nudge, "Go to the movies."  I didn't think there was anything noteworthy or interesting to watch, and so I thought, "Tonight?"  The nudge affirmed...."Tonight."

So, after putting in my miles and getting cleaned up, I went to the movie theater.  It was then I saw that "Collateral Beauty" was playing less than thirty minutes from my arrival time.  I hadn't heard of it. Truth is I tend to be one of the last ones to hear about the movies currently playing.  It had a familiar cast, so as is my hard and fast habit, I "common sense media" searched it, and found there was nothing objectionable in the content.

Grief.  That appeared to be its theme.

(Spoiler: after watching it, I can attest that if you look beyond grief as the "surface theme".... life is its "deep theme.")

Okay.  Deep breath.  I purchased the ticket.  I can only describe my internal sense was "this is going to be good."

I know.....sort of illogical to pair grief with "it's going to be good."

Without giving everything away for those who want to go see it who haven't yet, there were many excellent life points.

Here is the opening scene....

It's a fascinating movie.  Sort of like "A Christmas Carol" .... but not.   Love, Time, and Death are personified.

In a key scene, Death asks a woman, "Who are you losing?"  The woman answers.  Then Death makes a peculiar statement, "Just be sure to notice the collateral beauty."

Being the optimist that I am, as well as a word study nut, this apparent oxymoron type statement struck a deep core in me, so much so I googled "define collateral"..... and proceeded to dig at the definition for a time (last night after the movie) until my mind was able to couple the two words together through the window of my own personal life experiences.

Beyond the clip above, allow me to share a few of the quotes from the movie:

"I'm Love.  I'm the fabric of life."

"Remember me? I'm Time. You wrote me because you need me.  I'm a gift, and you're wasting it!"

Wow.

This life is fleeting.  So grievous to think that so many live the precious few minutes they have here on Earth wearing masks, pretending they are connected, while they live isolated.

I have been accused more than once of being too much to handle.  I have come to understand that those who live life without fear.... who live life large.... with a determination to find life's treasures while they have been given opportunity to hunt for them.... intimidate life's spectators, those who dominantly sit on the bench and with vigor call to those on the field to sit with them.  No!  May it never be!  As long as I have breath, I will LIVE!  And when this life passes, I will continue to LIVE!   

Will Smith's character had to find his way out of  a grief loop wherein he was.  A Christian's perspective of death .....be it the death of a relationship, an opportunity, or a physical passing....has to become as God's perspective is.  It must be stewarded well.... and then released.

This life is a sowing field.  It is a tremendous opportunity and a gift, but it is not to be idolized.

I took much away from my time with God at the movies last night.  He is the best of dates.

I encourage each of you.... feel the weight of today.  Use today to build your muscles; dig into life's treasures today while you have opportunity.  Not having tomorrow is not meant to be an ominous proposition.  No!  It is to be motivation to be wise stewards with your NOW.

You can't explore life's wondrous mysteries and beauties while wrapped in a "self-bubble".  If you are sitting on life's bench, get up.... make a friend on the field!  Allow their bravery to rub off, to teach you a thing or two.

There used to be this expression, "Go big or go home."   Well, I don't want anyone to go home...to quit.....so, until I breath my last here, I'll cheer you on to go big.... and with bravery,  take notice of the collateral beauty.

 As Will Smith's character so aptly stated,

"Life is about people. We're here to connect."    

Are you?