On watching a movie

When I talked to Reeve about Big Fish, he said it was one of his favourite movies ever. That added to my feeling that I hadn't adequately savoured the film the first time around: missing the first twenty minutes made it difficult.

So before I went to see it again, I let myself indulge in a little anticipation to get in the right frame of mind, and even shot off a quick prayer that I would appreciate and enjoy the movie properly. Well, the first twenty minutes turn out to be rather important. And the movie was even better the second time around than the first, earning a current place on my "favourite n movies of all time" list!

Some may think it strange to talk with God about enjoying a movie, or to take it so seriously. But enjoyment is important; the battle to experience and appreciate rather than observe and evaluate is one I have fought often, and won more by grace than by determination. The capacity to feel, to believe, to perceive the myth and the magic and the story, to risk — this is what the struggle is for. And the victories, indeed my very life, I owe to God, and to a small collection of godly people who have shown me and reminded me and put up with me when I forgot.