Sunday, April 24, 2011

Rio

I watched the movie 'Rio' tonight, and I quite liked it :)
I was, however, slightly put off by some of the song-and-dance routines, as I was not expecting a musical, but I decided that I should just get over myself and enjoy the music. It was not that hard :)

So, the movie starts off with a blue macaw being in Minnesnowta. Excuse me, Minnesota! hehe :P
Anyway, this macaw, appropriately named Blu, is brought up by this girl until the girl has become an adult and Blu is, by macaw standards I am guessing, also an adult, or at least some sort of post-adolescent. They both live/work in this bookstore, and they are both comfortable doing that. However, neither of them is challenged much. Blu does not even know how to fly, and Linda (the woman) is hesitant about leaving her bookstore (and Blu).
Then, they are both called upon to leave the bookstore. The characters are given a calling.

Neither really want to leave, but, it is a movie, and their decisions have already been decided for them. (Tangent here: Free Will vs. Predetermination. I will not get into that now, but mayhaps another time.)

So, at one point in the movie, just after the chain is no longer part of the equation, Blu and Jewel are faced with a choice. And it is pretty clear that both of them want the same thing, but for some reason Blu seems hesitant, and eventually ends up making the decision that neither of them wanted to make. It is quite unfortunate. But it reminded me of some things humans do, or rather, some things that I have noticed guys sometimes do. Maybe it is just in movies, maybe it is in 'real life' too. We shall see.

Anyway, Blu seems like he is blocking his feelings, and misinterpreting the 'signs/hints' that Jewel seems to be giving him. He, perhaps, is feeling like she does not want him around anymore. So he says that he will leave. He tries other options, but yeah. The thing(s) I noticed (I do not want to give away too much about the movie): Blu seems to either hide or block his feelings, and in doing so, he causes unnecessary pain to himself and to Jewel. It is sad, in my opinion.
Blu seems to think that he is unwanted. He seems to think that he cannot learn to fly. He seems to think that he must learn how to fly, or Jewel will not want to be with him. As I said, it is sad. Blu seems to feel that he must earn her affection. That he must work to receive the love that he desires. He seems to think that he will not be loved until he can fly.

So here is the question: Can you fly? If you cannot, are you loved? If you do not feel loved, do you feel like it is because you cannot fly? And do you feel like you are not able to learn to fly?
Where do you get your answers from? What do you base your answers off of? Is that base reliable? Has it given you truth in the past?
(The word 'fly' is used as a placeholder. It may be switched out for another word, one that is more personal, more applicable to you.)

I do not think I have yet learned to fly. And by that, I mean that I do not think I have yet learned how to love properly. After all, birds are made to fly. And I think that I am made to love. By not flying, a bird is not doing what it is supposed to be doing, and therefore it is not fulfilling the purpose for which it was made. When I am not loving, I am not fulfilling my purpose either. However, I know that I am loved, despite my lack of the action of loving. I know that I am loved, even when I do not love. Even when I make the choice not to love. I know that I do not please God because of what I do. And I know that I do not please God because of what I do not do. God seems to find pleasure in me because I have been given the righteousness of Christ. (Now that is amazing!)

I am learning to love, but I have not yet figured it all out yet. I have seen (or at least read) what it looks like to love wholly and perfectly, but I am still nervous about jumping off of the mountain. [There is a scene in Rio where Blu is trying to learn how to fly by observation and imitation, by jumping off of a mountain ;) ] I know that when the time comes, I will be given something (whether it be the ability, desire, way or something else) that will help/allow me to love in a way that is very similar, but not quite the same as the love that God has shown. Just as Blu was provided a hang-glider, I will be provided with something as well. (Yay Holy Spirit!)


But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you. Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid... But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all the truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come. -John 14:26-27; 16:13

I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world. -Jesus (John 16:33)

3 comments:

  1. Interesting connection and really good point. We all need to learn how to love better I think.

    ReplyDelete
  2. I think I want to see this movie...

    ReplyDelete