Well, we made it to Friday and I promised to bring the points raised this week to some form of conclusion. I really should be careful about what I promise!
So, what can this weeks pandemerings say to us as we struggle to cope with the stresses of living in this pandemic?
I saw three common themes show themselves as I reflected on the movies this week.
The first theme is that we can take this time to achieve a degree of mastery in doing something we love. We saw this theme play out in our movies, in Groundhog Day’s piano playing, and in Cast Away’s time spent learning to survive. This time apart has given us a unique opportunity to explore our skills and gifts – and applying ourselves to developing these skills can certainly add a greater sense of purpose or meaning to our days. There are many online resources and classes available at no cost – these can serve as an important source of learning for us. The mastery need not be a more traditional “skill” – it could also be studying scripture, or the documents of the church, it’s history or of the study and experience of various forms of prayer.
A second theme could be called fostering an “Attitude of Gratitude”. This can be seen as an appreciation that we already have all we need to be happy – irrespective of what is happening around us. This theme also comes through in Bucket List and particularly in Groundhog Day. Yes, there will of course be tough moments in our days. Yet we live in a time and place where many excellent resources are available to help us to stay healthy.
A final – and perhaps the most important theme – could be described as “working on our inner life.” Part of that work involves giving up the illusion of control and opening ourselves to the mysteries of the present moment. We saw that theme especially in Groundhog Day and Cast Away. To do this, we need to take the time to enter a place of stillness, solitude and silence. Some time ago I wrote up some ideas of how to do this. You can find those thoughts HERE
In the final analysis, we create our own reality … as seen in Star Trek and Groundhog Day. But in order to do that, we need to see our situation in a different way, and stretch ourselves outside the usual confines of our thinking. (Kobayashi Maru). We need to view our confinement not in terms of a lockdown and lockout, but as a place to develop mastery, to enhance and develop our inner life, and to foster an attitude of gratitude that flows beyond us and into the love and generous help we offer to those around us, and to those in need.
And so ends Movie Week at Pandemerings. I wonder what next week will bring?