What It Feels Like On The Way
I'm in the movie industry to tell stories about the human experience in a way that reminds you what's important in life - love and the love of family. ~ Hilary Swank
I love to hear why anyone does the thing they do, especially if they love it. And since I have so much love for the film industry in theory, I like to hear from people on the inside who love it in actuality. I discovered this Hilary Swank gem in an old InStyle magazine and was drawn to it since her reason to be in the industry is one of the many reasons I admire it. I have other reasons too. For instance, I heard Brad Pitt say on a recent video that he admires film's ability to convince us something we never thought could change, actually can. And you know what his example was? DAYLIGHT SAVINGS TIME. "Why do we have that?" he asked. "I don't know. It's a pain in the..." And I think I speak for all of us when I say, YES IT IS. Of course, I'm sure what he really meant was that film can convince us we can change corrupt governments, famine, and bigotry.
And to that I definitely say amen.
Tonight I'm on the red carpet for The Hunger Games premiere. Only the carpet is actually black. And by there I mean live-streaming thanks to MTV.com. And I want to really be there someday. I do. When Suzanne Collins walked by, declining to be interviewed, I felt the magic of it - an author of books at the movie premiere for the film inspired by the story she told. But it won't matter if I never get there, because the pursuit is so much fun, and the imagining, and the ability at this point to believe I could be her someday or I could be Jennifer Lawrence ('s mom) and be the actress playing the most important part. Because there's really nothing stopping me from any of it - not really. There's nothing in the way from me to that except to try. And it may take lots and lots of trying, and I may even go from this life to the other before I accomplish it. But as long as I'm trying, I'm basically on my way unless I decide not to be.
And that's why I can be happy simply in the pursuit.
Hearing or seeing people talk about why they love what they do inspires me both to find more ways to do what I love and to find more reasons to love what I already do.
I love to mother. I love it so much that if I can remove myself from the whole day and just live in the moment, I love hanging up Mizzou t-shirts because they're so much a part of my boys. I love reading library books about vampire bats and snakes even though I can't unsee that horrible image of the little mouse feet hanging out of that terrible cobra's mouth. I love scooting the tiny table chairs back under the tiny table no less than three times every day after they've been moved. And I love the tiny table.
I love to work. It's satisfying to be occupied in that way when only the lucky ones are. When I hear the unemployment percentage for a state or even our nation, I feel grateful that I somehow stayed outside it. I'm thankful someone chose me and trusts what I can do. I'm glad some of the bills are paid because of me.
And I love to write. I love to write with a pen in the thick, pink journal I've just started and with a keyboard on this blog or on the projects I only hope others someday read. It's a powerful thing to know what you want and a beautiful thing to realize that you have it.