Recognize Where You Are Today! Enjoy It!

I saw an old picture the other day based on a novel by Graham Greene published in 1951, made into a movie in 1955 and remade in 1999. It was a powerful telling of an adulterous love affair that spanned almost a decade. It told the story of three people who never had the chance to fully live the lives they wanted. In my mind they never had the chance for fulfillment because they never fully communicated what was in their hearts. The lack of communication came about because they never fully trusted each other to understand what was in their hearts. There were many themes in the picture but this writing is focusing on the love affair and how it affected their lives as the time went by.

The lovers experienced ecstasy when they were absorbed in each others desires for one another. They never revealed their inner desires to one another which lead to a feeling of mistrust and a feeling of possible betrayal . The cuckold husband is certain his wife is unfaithful but is too timid to risk showing his love and in the end lives with the fact. The lady is a beautiful woman who seeks love that the marriage never held for her. Her marriage took place in the  late 1930's and even in that time all marriages were not necessarily based on love and desire but rather on accommodations. In the end she dies of an incurable disease being cared for by both men.

As the story unfolded it was to me an unfolding of life. Where we have times of love, of happiness, of deceit  of truth, of floating on clouds and then being thrust down to the earth with such great force that whatever we had built up within ourselves was broken into dust, which settles into the surrounding dirt. The characters never took the time to slow down just a bit and enjoy the good times. There were good times but while they were enjoying them they were too busy doing "things" and not taking the time to just look at one another, to enjoy just being with one another. No they had to be doing, had to be planning had to be busy until she died and then everything slowed down to a halt. For the men at least for the mourning period, and who knows how long that would be, everything was over, all the plans were useless  she was gone only to live in their minds and soon the memories would fade as they tried to get into the times of their lives that was presented to them without her. Somehow, we have to take note of the time we are in. Slow down and enjoy the person we are with, the situation we are in and then when the other times come at least we can say we enjoyed the good times because the bad times will come as sure as there is a heaven, as sure as there is a God.

Ecclesiastes says all of this and The Byrds made a song "Turn, Turn, Turn" which I suppose says it all in an updated way we can all understand.

To Everything (Turn, Turn, Turn)

There is a season (Turn, Turn, Turn)

A time to every purpose under heaven

A time to be born, a time to die

A time to plant, a time to reap

A time to kill, a time to heal

A time to laugh, a time to weep

To Everything (Turn, Turn, Turn)

There is a season (Turn, Turn, Turn)

And a time to every purpose under Heaven

A time to build up, a time to break down

A time to dance, a time to mourn

A time to cast away stones, a time to gather stones together

To Everything (Turn, Turn, Turn)

There is a season (Turn, Turn, Turn)

And a time to every purpose under Heaven

A time of love, a time of hate

A time of war, a time of peace

A time you may embrace, a time to refrain from embracing

To Everything (Turn, Turn, Turn)

There is a season (Turn, Turn, Turn)

And a time to every purpose under Heaven

A time to gain, a time to lose

A time to rend, a time to sew

A time for love, a time for hate

A time for peace, I swear it's not too late