I Am – a movie we all need to see
17 Apr 2012 8 Comments
by Words From the Moon in emotions, entertainment, famous people, love, musings, philosophy, relationships, social issues, spirituality Tags: celebrities, lifestyles, movies, scientists
I watched an amazing movie last night, entitled simply I Am. It is a film made by a director named Tom Shadyac, who is famous in his own right, having directed such films as Ace Ventura: Pet Detective, Bruce Almighty and other successful comedies. It tells the story of his journey after suffering head injuries following a biking accident, causing him to reevaluate his life and lifestyle, as well as asking the questions: What’s wrong with our world? and What can we do about it? He talked to and interviewed a string of great minds, from scientists to poets to religious leaders. And the underlying theme that I got out of this film is that we are all connected, all life here on this earth is connected, in a way that cannot be scientifically measured or proved in that way. And that connecting energy is love! This film also brought forth the knowing that our innate nature is that of compassion, but we have buried that under the guise of competition in our modern day societies. Yet the final message that came out of all this is one of hope; that as humans we have the power within us to change our world to one of cooperation and sharing, making sure that all are taken care of. As Tom Shadyac worked on this film and started to question his own lifestyle of excess, he eventually began to heal. He then took steps to simplify his life; selling his huge mansion of a home to live in a mobile home park, selling his private jet, and becoming an instructor at a nearby university, teaching screenwriting. Another message I garnered from this is that we are not meant to give up all our comforts of life and live in near poverty. But so many of us have so much more than we truly need to be happy and comfortable in our lives, at the expense of those who are living lives where their most basic needs are not met. And as I reflect on the main thing that I got out of this wonderful film, it all comes back to this: Love is the most important thing.
Connectedness
15 Dec 2011 2 Comments
by Words From the Moon in musings, social issues, writing Tags: bus transfer, charitable giving, homeless, life on the streets, life stories, newspapers, plight of the homeless, poverty
I live in the city now, where the plight of the homeless is so evident to me as I walk the city streets. At times they reach out in desperation, asking anyone who passes by for food or money or a bus transfer; pride pushed aside to give way to survival. But even a response of “sorry, I can’t help” is met with “thank you”. We can learn from all souls here on this earth; these poor souls in dire straits still have the manners that so many of us with so much fail to use in our overly busy lives. I have been awakened to how horrifically difficult the life of a homeless person is, and I have come to find much more appreciation for all that I have, the riches and blessings that we all deserve. I started a list one day of all that I have; things that the homeless often don’t have – food, and a place to cook and store food, a bathroom and water and a place to clean up or just brush your teeth, a comfortable bed with a warm blanket, furniture to sit in, a lamp to read books by, clothes and a place to wash them and then store them, and the list goes on and on. Don’t you see how wealthy most of us are? And it’s not just the material things, it also encompasses the security of having a home to go to, a place to stay warm and dry and protected. It’s not having to live in fear and doubt and wondering how in the world you will get out of the hole you fell into. But despite their circumstances, these are people just like you and me who have come into hard times that could certainly happen to any of us. They are not any less vibrant or intelligent or beneath us in any way. There is a small newspaper published here called Street Roots, and it is a testament to just how much we are all connected, all wanting the same basic things out of life. There are articles about life on the streets, with interviews of people telling their stories. There are also poems and art work that show the creative depth of these souls, who struggle with pain but are making their way out of the cavern of desperation towards the light of hope. And the best part of this whole project is that the vendors who sell the papers are given a chance to work, to earn money to get back on their feet, to feel pride in a job well done. This is all any of us really want out of life, isn’t it? To earn a living and have a decent place to live, with food and clothing and those things that help us live comfortable lives. In this way, we truly all are connected, and we can reach out to each other to help when some of us fall – with gifts of time, with gifts of money, with gifts of things but always with gifts of prayers for one another.
