I recently watched the DVD, “The Wrestler” with a friend of mine. I found it to be a very moving and poignant experience. As we finished the movie I asked him, what he thought of it. He said, “It was one of the worst I have seen in a while”. I was surprised, because I found the movie to be very profound, a good reminder of important things. We talked about our differing experiences.
To him, the movie was one that lacked hope, and was quite depressing. For me it was a movie about the life giving quality of relationships.
The movie’s protagonist had lived a life that put no importance on anything but his career. It worked, as he had achieved the very pinnacle of his profession. His wife and only child had been casualties along the way. While his pursuit was the ultimate in professional wrestling, for others of us it might be our job, or a certain amount of money, or a degree, a particular house, or car. Anything money might buy.
He began seeking redemption in the form of trying to re-establish some old relationships as well as work at establishing new ones, while he still had time. Many of our clients have had the awareness that connection with others is what they have been seeking all along, and have had the courage to change their focus towards their most important relationships.
For those who have not seen the movie, suffice to say that the movie ends in a very powerful way. A way that, to me, shows how vitally important relationships are, in terms of making our lives meaningful.
The fact is that the star of the movie, when accepting an award for his acting said that he had recently gone through a very dark part of his life, and his relationships with his friends and pets saved his life.
The movie was an important reminder to me that at the end of it all, the quality of the relationships we have with loved ones is all that really matters.
Ted, I enjoyed your review of the wrestler movie. I have not seen it yet but your analysis regarding people in actuality are always trying to find a relationship with someone, and thus the reason why they indulge in whatever to try and find it. Our Biblical belief on that is that God created us to experience what’s called Zoe life, which is life in Christ. But as you stated people are always trying to find life in something or someone else and because of their created desire for Zoe life they eventually are never satisfied. However once they submit to the Life of Christ living through them they find Peace and Rest and of course all of their relationships take on a different look. Blessings on your day!
Ted- I, too, was deeply touched by “The Wrestler” – much for the same reasons that you were. Unfortunately,though, I identify strongly with Mickey O’Rourk’s character, in my ‘quest to be someone’ I participated in most of my life, and sacrificing family life in exchange. The comment that you received to your column was right on also. My true conversion came when I was in the hospital recently, and had time to look at my life, and rearrange my priorities. One book that I read while in the hospital in particularly, drove this point home even more clearly – Thomas Merton’s “New Seeds of Contemplation.”
I know the drill. My son and daughter jokingly (I feel sad as I hear them say it) is for the first decade of theirlives all they saw was the back of myt head. Thought the facts aren’t that bad, the feeling was. Glad I have had some time to redeem myself.
I grew up with the message that “the best ting a father could could do for his famioy was to provide for them. I thought it meant money……