lady in the water

so, I am often a couple of years behind on my movie watching. this is one of the glories of HBO and showtime... they are playing movies that feel totally new to me.

this weekend we watched lady in the water, an m. night shyamalan pic. it was weird. most of his movies are weird. but good weird. it was a bedtime story come to life in a bizarre apartment building in the middle of philly. in the story, this water maiden (a narf) appears to paul giamatti, and has a message to give someone. there are people in the apartment building who need to help her fulfill her destiny and get home, but she, and we, do not know who they are. so, the journey of discernment begins. at first, paul giamatti tries to figure it out on his own, but the more people he involves in figuring it out, the closer they get tot he answers. all along paul giamatti's character is a healer, and he does not realize it until his community tells him that they see that quality in him.

so here is the corny tie-in to my life... the whole movie was a lot like the ordination process. it is community discernment, and that certainly does not make the journey easier, but there are things that i do not understand about myself that other people can help me see. when we put our heads together, we can think more effectively and move forward in a new and exciting way. at a time when the process is frustrating me, this is comforting. it may move slow, but it is moving.

who new that m. night shyamalan was going to bring me the wisdom i needed to keep moving?

"finding one's purpose is a profound thing, and sometimes it is not what it seems."
... lady in the water