Currently Watching: The Man Without a Face

Without a Face
Originally uploaded by andebos.

"I hold the world but as the world, Gratiano,
A stage, where every man must play a part,
And mine a sad one."

Well it's Saturday night and Mike and I are chilling out while watching The Man Without a Face. I'm excited to have the week off. (Yes, as a teacher I get the next two weeks off from school) It offers me time to read, reflect, and organize my thoughts about school and life. I can't say I have a lot of plans for the next week - I thought perhaps at one time the week might be filled but 'alas it was not meant to be.' This has always been one of my most favorite movies - perhaps because it is a story...not simply that, but at the same time - simply that. It is an extremely hopeful while sad story. It simultaneously takes a focused look on the inside and outside of the men and women we are. As a teacher I have to love this movie...it is a story of a broken man who reaches out and touches the soul of a child. More than that - it is in essence the story of a father (though he is not the boys father) who helps a boy take the steps to become a man. In the end Mel Gibson's character is still on the edge of the crowd - faceless, but not nameless. And in the end...he is alone again. Funny, that we are watching this movie tonight on that note. "Funny ha ha, or funny strange." In this case funny sad. I received a rather hard email this weekend from a long time friend. Though I am not comfortable sharing every little piece of my soul - I would appreciate any prayers for me and the emailer...times are hard, and holidays make one sentimental, especially when you're down the road from someone you never see and never will - that doesn't make any sense. I think while I watch this movie of how strange it is to begin to understand this idea of scars and pain. Some of our pains we hold outwardly for all the world to see...the pains are straight forward and easy to see. Whereas some scars we hold within - for no one to see or help heal but God alone. And sometimes, maybe many times it seems that even He does not see, and if he does...then perhaps He does not care. But 'alas' he does - we forget that God could heal anything in a second, but what fruit would that bear in our lives. And many times he could change our circumstances in a second, but He knows that we are not propared for the miracles he is willing to give. That may just be my life - I think God has many blessings and miracles for me - many things He wants me to heal. But as a loving God - He waits until we are ready to unock the doors in our hearts...even though he knows what's beyond the door. What doors are we not unlocking? What pains have gone so deep that we cannot function in those places in our lives where the doors may possibly lead towards? I have seen in myself and in others places where pain affects...most often in relationships - take note of doors that need opening, you may not be able to unlock them just yet...but remember where they are - someday you will find the key, then will you unlock it?