Movie Musings
I am amazed at the busyness of life.
How things - many and varied - seem to fall onto the "to do" heap all at the same time.
How life throws at you thoughts you've never considered before, gives you a glimpse of yourself from a radically different angle, and through it all teaches you the importance of integrity.
I watched The Last Samurai yesterday - it has been a while since I have seen it. Like most people I am drawn to the honourable warrior lifestyle of the Samurai especially in comparison to the arrogant cockiness of the North American mind and lifestyle. I am drawn to it because well firstly it is another culture and I love other cultures but also because it is such a contemplative and meditative lifestyle being portrayed. The appreciation of beauty, of discipline, of integrity and honour.
In no way do I say this movie is perfect, it is still very much so Hollywood's portrayal and I know that full well, but this time through - as with previous viewings of it - certains parts, or sentences, or facial expressions that say more than words ever could, seemed to capture something - parallel with some of the stirrings of my soul lately.
The movie put an image to it and in the process I saw a part myself. I saw deep longings that I have not been able to put words too and like the weepy human I am as of late - I wept and grieved for the loss of something so beautiful - this way of life with all of its history and values.
Of course with it has its flaws - but as Kazumoto (the Samurai leader) speaks throughout the movie of a life that is not wasted if it was spent searching for that perfect blossom something in my spirit yelled "YES!" I saw the parallels about how my life is not wasted searching the mysteries of God that seem so elusive.
I was struck throughout the movie how the simple, honourable, and disciplined ways of the Samurai were so hard for Alderan to grasp. You could read it all over his face as they had their conversations. It was like the sound of two things grinding together causing the face to scrunch up because it is nearly unbearable. The way of life of the Samurai stood in the face of everything Alderan thought life was about and in turn challenged him and changed him.
I thought about how that was an interesting image for following Jesus. The ways of the Kingdom of God stand in the face of everything we think life is about or is supposed to be about. It challenges us and changes us as we begin to see and understand parts of it.
Its mysteries invade us and flip things around - how do you hold onto and live this "upside down" Kingdom? This Kingdom's way of life that seems to grind against how we think life is supposed to be lived?
I want to embody this way of life, this upside down Kingdom's rhythm of life.
How things - many and varied - seem to fall onto the "to do" heap all at the same time.
How life throws at you thoughts you've never considered before, gives you a glimpse of yourself from a radically different angle, and through it all teaches you the importance of integrity.
I watched The Last Samurai yesterday - it has been a while since I have seen it. Like most people I am drawn to the honourable warrior lifestyle of the Samurai especially in comparison to the arrogant cockiness of the North American mind and lifestyle. I am drawn to it because well firstly it is another culture and I love other cultures but also because it is such a contemplative and meditative lifestyle being portrayed. The appreciation of beauty, of discipline, of integrity and honour.
In no way do I say this movie is perfect, it is still very much so Hollywood's portrayal and I know that full well, but this time through - as with previous viewings of it - certains parts, or sentences, or facial expressions that say more than words ever could, seemed to capture something - parallel with some of the stirrings of my soul lately.
The movie put an image to it and in the process I saw a part myself. I saw deep longings that I have not been able to put words too and like the weepy human I am as of late - I wept and grieved for the loss of something so beautiful - this way of life with all of its history and values.
Of course with it has its flaws - but as Kazumoto (the Samurai leader) speaks throughout the movie of a life that is not wasted if it was spent searching for that perfect blossom something in my spirit yelled "YES!" I saw the parallels about how my life is not wasted searching the mysteries of God that seem so elusive.
I was struck throughout the movie how the simple, honourable, and disciplined ways of the Samurai were so hard for Alderan to grasp. You could read it all over his face as they had their conversations. It was like the sound of two things grinding together causing the face to scrunch up because it is nearly unbearable. The way of life of the Samurai stood in the face of everything Alderan thought life was about and in turn challenged him and changed him.
I thought about how that was an interesting image for following Jesus. The ways of the Kingdom of God stand in the face of everything we think life is about or is supposed to be about. It challenges us and changes us as we begin to see and understand parts of it.
Its mysteries invade us and flip things around - how do you hold onto and live this "upside down" Kingdom? This Kingdom's way of life that seems to grind against how we think life is supposed to be lived?
I want to embody this way of life, this upside down Kingdom's rhythm of life.
© Lady Raeh 11:14 AM
