I think I got the gist of the story. A young American lady who had married at 19 is faced with the death of her "charming" Irish husband. Already it sounds quite a deep film, however to add some more drama to the proceedings, her husband, Jerry, left a series of letters with family members for her.
I caught the opening of the last two letters, and was intrigued to see how the story might pan out.
If you haven't guessed which film this was then a big clue is in the ending of each letter: P.S. I love you.
When I picked up the story, the lady was faced with trying to discover some meaning or purpose in her life after the death of Jerry. Whatever she did seemed empty. Nothing felt right. Her friendship with a man named Daniel (I joined the film late and have no idea where this feller came from) just lacked something: he wasn't Jerry.
After reading a letter Jerry had left with his mother, we learn- through a flashback- of how they first met. She, a young naive American tourist, was lost in deepest Ireland. Jerry finds her on a roadside. She, full of the youthful vigour of an art student, tells him that as we must pour out all of our creativity into our life (or words to that effect).
Back in the present day, she attempts to rekindle that creativity by designing shoes. Unsurprisingly it doesn't take her long to discover that shoes, on their own, do not hold much meaning or purpose.
Eventually, one year (and one more letter) on, she finds some slight purpose in her creative work and in her friendship with her mother. Jerry is gone but she feels that she can, one day, love again.
The credits roll.
I found this ending very honest; alarmingly honest in fact. Although my sleep-deprived brain failed to pinpoint my worry, I felt that it was too honest. She may have come to terms with her loss of Jerry and her lack of ultimate purpose, but I hadn't. This morning, over breakfast, I managed to realise what it was that I had felt: truthfully, how much meaning can one find in a life without God? All credit to the film producer and script writer- they hadn't tried to insert some pointless meaning in her life. Why? Because they, presumably, couldn't find anything that would work.
Perhaps the one meaning or purpose they had found was in the love between Jerry and the lady (who's name eludes me). Throughout the film she kept looking back and pining after the love they shared.
However I couldn't help but observe- perhaps because I missed the middle of the film- that the beginning of the story disagreed. It had started with a row between the couple. He wanted kids, she wasn't ready just yet. The fight led to Jerry demanding what it was that she really wanted in life. She had no answer. He stormed out.
P.S. I love you has actually managed to highlight the real issue in life. There is no meaning without God. The highest form of purpose mankind has found (without God) is love. But love- if left long enough- appears to end and fail and crumble and decompose.
Could it be that the love idealised by society is actually not love as it is meant to be? The Bible says that God is love. Therefore Godless love is, at best, an empty carcass- a shell of the real thing.
Solomon, thousands of years ago, tried to find a purpose in life without God. He tried work, pleasure, power, entertainment, religion and love. In fact Solomon wrote the book on love! Song of Solomon is the world's greatest love song! However, although he acknowledged that all of these things have their time and place, ultimately none of them give us meaning or purpose without God.
For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven:a time to be born, and a time to die;a time to plant, and a time to pluck up what is planted;a time to kill, and a time to heal;a time to break down, and a time to build up;a time to weep, and a time to laugh;a time to mourn, and a time to dance;a time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together;a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing;a time to seek, and a time to lose;a time to keep, and a time to cast away;a time to tear, and a time to sew;a time to keep silence, and a time to speak;a time to love, and a time to hate;a time for war, and a time for peace.
The book of Ecclesiasties, writen by Solomon, starts with these words: Vanity of Vanities, all is vanity, says the preacher. Life without God is vanity.
At the end of his book Solomon came to this conclusion: The end of the matter; all has been heard. Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty of man.
I don't know about you, but to me that sounds pretty painful. The 'whole duty of man' is to fear God? To keep his rules? Well Jesus tells us that actually there is nothing better to do!
Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.
The Bible has no footnote: P.S. I love you. You want to know why? The whole book says it! God so loved the world that he gave his only son that whoever believes in him should not die but have eternal love! When we realise this and trust in God and love him with all our hearts, souls and minds then we experience love as it truly is. We finally find the truth and purpose in this life.
Solomon found it eventually.
I can't help but wonder if we shall see a sequel...
P.S. Jesus loves you
Top notch Bakemeister Flash.
ReplyDeleteReally.