One Moment

Hi All,
In my short story 'Awake,' which is my most personal but also most fanticised story, there's a moment where the protagonist sees a spark of light in the water. She sees it when she realizes that her soulmate is standing there before her. It's kind of like that lightbulb in the head that clicks on when you finally 'get' something. I used the water because I'm slightly obsessed with water and love to see it on film and in my head. Of course, life being ironic and all, I can't go in real oceans because I can't swim..and I can't swim because I am paralyzed with fear of not being able to breathe underwater. It's not a fear of the water itself, but is rather a fear of not having control over my own life-force, oxygen. But man, do I love to see water on film. So I saw it in my head when I wrote that story (which will one day become a novel). Water is great in that it has a darkness to it, so you can hide in it. At least, the water I picture is this way. I don't mean 'dark' as in 'dirty,' either. I just mean, not as vivid and clear as those pictures I see from The Bahamas.
Anyway, I put that in there because that story is mostly about soulmates. It's about a woman's journey to find herself, also. But mainly, it's about soulmates. It was the first story I wrote that wasn't the result of an assignment by my Creative Writing professor. It was the story that got me started writing the way I've been for the last three years. In short, it was my first bit of truly inspired work. I recently picked up the Special Edition of 'Titanic' and 'Meet Joe Black' on DVD, and I watched both over the weekend.
Speaking of water! I always smile in gratitude that the Academy got it (mostly) right on Oscar night in 1998; with the exception of the snub to Kate Winslet, I was overjoyed to see this film win as many awards as it could. And I am still glad to know it's the number one film, box-office wise, in the world. Number one in every country. As it should be. I'm sure you've all seen this work of art, and know the story. What I loved most about this film, however, was not the love story (which was fantastic), or the special effects (also superb), or the historical accuracies (impressive), or even the acting (Winslet was robbed of the Oscar. Robbed!). The thing that I love most about it is the sheer obsessive care that James Cameron took in putting everything of himself into this film. You can tell, from the opening frame to the rolling of the credits, that James Cameron was passionate about this topic, and about this film. That's what I love to see most out of filmmakers: passion. True, Cameron is well-known as an egomaniac who compulsively works on every frame of his films until they are perfect. Good for him, I say! Ego is not normally a trait any of us likes, me least of all. But if he walked in the room and said, 'I Rule!' I'd say, 'Yes, you DO. And you have a right to say it.' In short, he's still my favorite director of all time, because he cares so much about making the perfect film. Which is exactly how I would be if I made films. I would not rest until my vision was completed.
But I had a theme here, and it was soulmates. Which, if 'Titanic' is to be believed, can exist for that brief moment of time, but can change your life forever.
An even better look at soulmates, and at that moment I'm talking about, can be seen in 'Meet Joe Black.' If you've never seen this film, run (RUN) to your local video store or put this at the top of your Netflix queue. You have to see it. This film is about life, death, and soulmates, in a very cursory summing-up. But really, it's about that moment, and the idea of grasping that moment in life. Brad Pitt is the central character, Death (he's an Angel of Death), who wants to experience life on Earth before he takes Bill (Anthony Hopkins), a great business man who has also lead a great life. He goes by the generic name Joe Black, and he stays close to Bill as Bill's final days near. A word about Brad Pitt: If God walked in and said, 'I'll make you the perfect man,' I'd say, 'But sir, you already did: his name is Brad Pitt.' Now, I USED to like Brad from what I read and saw of him, but thanks to his cavalier attitude about marriage, and committment (he never seemed to value it, even while still 'happily' married), I can't say he's the kind of guy I'd care for. But in the Looks and Body department, well, let's just say he could do whatever he wanted to me! Lord, is he perfect-looking. Ideal! Gorgeous! And talented too, although that gets overlooked so much. So I enjoyed three hours (this is a long one; the only drawback) of staring at his beautiful self, in this beautiful role. He played Joe like an innocent boy-man, full of wonder at life and even the small things it has to offer. But he got the one big thing out of life: he met the soulmate. Claire Forlani, underused in major film roles, played Susan, Bill's daughter, and the object of Joe's affection. I haven't seen her in much else, but she's got a great way of doing what I call 'acting with her eyes' where she exhibits a spectrum of emotions easily and all through her beautiful eyes.
So there's two perfect-looking beings, who find each other and have a hard time letting go. The love scene, where Joe experiences 'making love' for the first time, is one of the most poetic and romantic scenes ever put on film, and is my favorite love scene in film. It was so tender and innocent; you could really feel his wonder at it all. Of course, this is how I always picture such a moment: full of innocence and wonder. I won't tell you how it all comes out in the end, but it was a fitting and bittersweet end to a marvelous tale. So rent it. Highly recommended.

The characters in 'Titanic' and 'Meet Joe Black' managed to find that moment, that meeting of the soulmate, that is very rare in this world. I realize they're just movies, and movies are usually full of hope and fantasy. Real life is never so kind. But I think we CAN find that moment, and that soulmate, that changes our lives forever. After all, God did not put us here without letting us catch glimpses of what's to come: He gave us music, He gave us nature, He gave us words, and He gave us the chance at that unconditional love that we all must have when we enter the next realm. Here's hoping you all find that moment, and that soulmate.

Whew!! Good Lord I am heavy today.

But What Did Death Really Think of Life on Earth?
1) The waffles are better in Heaven
2) I look like Brad Pitt? Score!
3) Yeah, sex is nice. But skydiving is better.
4) Well, the clothes are better here. Not so white and free-flowing.
5) Finally! Some physical contact! This thing of being almost transparent is for the birds.

Have a great day!!