While running today, my sore knee flared up to where I had to stop running. I thought maybe this ache was something I could push through by exercising and pushing the muscles. I guess the muscles didn't like it. Hmmm..
I watched World Trade Center last night. Wow. What a movie. I was surprised at how it told the story and what stories it told. Like any story, the problem arrived soon after the start. Then two cops were trapped beneath the rubble for hours and hours. How they could withstand that...wow. God seems to give us the grace to go through what we need to go through, so I can only attribute that kind of strength to Him if it were me. That'd be so hairy and an intense claustrophobic challenge.
Seeing the movie and re-living the emotion of that terrible day in US history was something else. When I hear people caution against showing that footage, something inside me disagrees. If someone told me, 'We don't want to stir up anger or coax people into knee-jerk emotional reactions. American people might start lashing out at Arabs...' I don't think that's gonna happen. I'm not for blindly striking out at people and falling into guilty-by-association or by skin color, by any means. That's just dumb. But if it's angry emotions we're trying to avoid, I don't get it. I don't quite agree. Aren't there some things we should get angry about? Isn't ignoring or censoring certain media a mind/emotion control gimmick being used/weilded by a power-hungry and fearful maniac ... or at best just people in denial? I would think there's some balance between the extreme of showing 9/11 footage on a continuous loop and this nearly blacklisting of any footage whatsoever. It's puzzling.
Posted by Doug Van Pelt at December 27, 2006 03:43 PMDoug: My wife and I also watched this movie over the weekend. It was very good, and I agree whole heartedly with your comments. (ditto)
The most surprising thing regarding the flick was this was a movie by Oliver Stone, and I found no political leaning at all. It was not about Liberal or Conservatives, but rather the American spirit and the inate passion to help those in need, at a time of great disaster. The event, and movie, showed the many different stories of affected people, and the heart ache and relief of loved ones.
In the midst of the movie, it all comes back (to me anyway), that we have so many of our priorties so screwed up. What matters is not the day to day crap that is NOT going to matter One year from now. It's what Solomon called "smoke" and "spitting" in the wind. (The Message) We need to savor everyday, as if it were our last, and don't kill ourselves with the "deadlines" of our daily responsibilities.
By the way, I have enjoyed your words through Painted Deserts. Let us know your next book so we can read along with you. (Right now I am reading the Steve Baldwin book. It is a quick and fun read with some rather blatant and hard core thoughts and critisms. Give it a shot)
Posted by: Bill at January 2, 2007 06:48 AM