New movie, skipping off the edges of physics, space travel, family dynamics, and cinema. Actors are passable, the obvious manipulation does its job, the special effects keep getting better and better. The movie even gets to bend all reality and craft an improbable happy ending. There are a few things wrong with the premise of the movie. For instance, the protagonist is the "only" guy in the entire world who can do this. My experience in life is that for any given job or mission or duty there are hundreds, if not thousands, of people who can do as well or better. The observation in my field of work is that salesmen can hold out for about 15 minutes because we know that there are thousands standing behind us in line who could do just as well and will do it cheaper. Another thing wrong with the movie is the very heart wrenching discovery that the "mother/wife" has died and he is raising the kids on his own. Not wishing to spoil anything, a really no-nonsense wife in this movie would have been a huge help and the movie would have been about 15 minutes long.
"I'm going to space to find a wormhole and save mankind and I'll be gone for decades"
" I don't think so, Buzz. Get back out there and get to work."
End of movie.
But the movie made me think. Not about the trajectory of mankind. Nor did it make me think of all the theories surrounding space travel, time-folding, worm holes, quantum physics or any of that other stuff I like to view as black magic (like iPhone set ups, math, or female logic). But it made me think about what influence I have on the lives of my kids and grandkids. What imprint is there? The movie speaks to the "ghost" of the parent following the child through their years after the parent is gone. There was a line in the movie to effect that parents are there to create memories for their children. This seems so superficial to me. Memories for what? to be sad? to be angry? to be filled with bittersweet remorse? Are we as parents really just to serve as an apparition that only provides a context of history? Like a cosmic book marker?
It is my hope that I was able to provide something a little more substantial than a nice little picture book in their heads. The world is struggling with bigger issues than this. It has always been my hope that I have taught the benefits of being truthful even when truth is not valued , being courageous when the loss could be devastating, being faithful when it seemed worthless, being honest when no one else can be. I would hope that somewhere along the line when one of my kids or grandkids is facing a moment that will define who they are they can draw on my words, my example, my values and make the choice that will allow them to be the people of integrity I had always wanted to be..and wanted them to be. God, I pray every day that my mission here has been more meaningful than creating happy moments for my children. We yearn for significance. But we settle for a memory?
Godspeed to the parents who are able to cast a bigger vision, a deeper significance than the Hollywood version. The only thing of value we can leave is the ability to pass along the words of meaning; truth, justice, honor, mercy, compassion, sacrifice and of course love. The greatest of these is love.
Don
