Monday 3 March 2014

Fatherhood is Like Gravity

Well another Oscar night has come and gone. I used to love Oscar night because I used to love films.  There were a few years there that I'm pretty sure I saw every movie nominated for a major award (working at a movie theatre and going to film school were certainly enabling factors).   I think this is the first time in eighteen years that I didn't catch any of the broadcast.  I didn't even know all the films that were nominated for Best Picture until after the telecast when I was reviewing the winners.  It was then that it hit me just how out of touch I am with pulp culture.  While fatherhood and family life tend to do that (at least to me) do not think that I am lamenting this fact.  I'd much rather be grounded in what matters (family) than caught up with my head in the clouds floating to and fro whichever way the wind may blow (divergent entertainment).

It all reminds me of that movie Gravity...at least what I imagine Gravity to be about since I've only ever seen the teaser.  If I'm correct the movie is about a couple of astronauts sent adrift in space after a spacewalk goes wrong.  That's it pretty much in a nutshell, isn't it?

I think parents need to be especially vigilant with the time they carve out for each other lest they end up like the two astronauts in the movie (although if I could end up looking like George Clooney when I'm 50, I'd be okay with that...and I think my wife would concur).  There are so many things willing to be your distraction du jour that it is tempting to lose sight of what's important and float away.  If one is not careful, it is easy to get caught up in the doing of the things of everyday life and be sent adrift in the inertia of it all only to look up and find yourself miles from where you intended to be, far from your partner and no notion of how to get back.  

So in the spacewalk that is life (how's that for some fromage?) even when what you're doing is filled with purpose, don't lose focus of the big picture and for goodness sake hang on tight to each other.


2 comments:

  1. Right on Ryan, however don't get too nostalgic . Remember that you " You always get a second chance"

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