6.03.2009

Dreams of Lovers

We went to the movies this weekend!

Theater movies are a treat for us, so the fact that we went to see two movies in two days was unbelievable. Last Thursday, we celebrated our 3rd wedding anniversary almost a week early, went to a nice dinner, and went to see Star Trek for a second time. Yes, we're geeks. Liked it just as much the second time around.

Friday night, we had friends call us to go to Up, the Pixar movie that just opened. Even though we had just gone to a movie the night before, I was intrigued by the movie- and, really, there are very few Pixar movies I don't like- so we agreed to join them. I was glad we did.

You know how Wall-E is about a trash-collecting robot who falls in love with a space robot, but really it's about a bigger story of consumerism and self-centeredness and something bigger than the story being told? That's how I felt with Up. It's about an old man and a Boy Scout and a floating house- but it's not. It's bigger than that. You know there's masterful storytelling going on when, in the first 20 minutes of the film, I've had to concentrate to hold back tears 3 times- and I don't cry at movies, ever. The backstory that preceded the house-flying adventure was mostly told without words, and was beautiful. The most believable thing in the entire movie (because flying houses and talking dogs and giant rainbow-colored birds aren't exactly believable) is the love and passion and dreams shared between Carl and Ellie, the elderly couple. The whole movie is about Carl living out the dream he and his late wife shared- something I can deeply relate to, as my husband and I are only 3 years into our journey together, and we have an "Adventure Book" of sorts- dreams we talk of wanting to achieve someday- and doing it together.

In the end (I don't think this is too much of a spoiler), Carl discovers that all the dreams and plans he and his wife made were exciting, but the real adventure was just living a beautiful, full life together, day-to-day, and being passionately in love.

On my anniversary today, this is what is in my Adventure Book- living in the moment (but not for the moment) with the love of my life- dreaming of the future, but not being impatient for it to come and missing out on what's in front of me, in the here and now. We're only in each stage of life for a time, and I want to get as much out of this stage as I can, before it is fleeting and gone. Our future dreams may come true, and may not- the real dream is loving and being loved every day.


Three years ago, we looked so much younger! Wow.

9 comments:

The Murray Crew said...

Congratualtions on the three year mark! Definitely worth celebrating! I still feel like we've met prior to the other night, and I'm trying to figure it out.... =)

David Swindle said...

You looked so much younger then? Oh come on, you guys haven't aged a day. :-)

Glad you liked "Up." That's definitely a Joanna movie.

For another Joanna movie don't forget "My Dinner with Andre" comes out in a few weeks. http://www.criterion.com/films/1093

Matt Moberly said...

Hooray! Happy anniversary.

And I'm glad to have a first-person account that the movie is good. Would a 5-year-old and a 4-year-old sit through it?

Heather said...

Happy anniversary!

It sounds like I'll definitely have to see Up. It fits into the Someday project I share with my own husband, which seems similar to your Adventure Book. What a cool idea.

We just launched a network for it earlier this week. It's all about finally writing down those dreams and trying to tackle them.

http://www.somedayiwant.com

Joanna said...

Jen- I'm trying to figure it out too. Maybe there's enough information on each of our blogs to trigger our memory?

David- I'll keep an eye out for that movie!

Matt- It's rated PG for "Mild Peril"- there are some scary dogs, but it's appropriate for the 4 and 5 years olds I know. Would they sit through it? Up definitely has more action than Wall-E, so if they got through that, they'll sit through this.

The kids who were having the hardest time sitting through the movie quietly seemed to be the junior high girls talking and giggling behind us. I was wishing I had popcorn to throw.

Joanna said...

Heather- Yes! The Adventure Book the wife keeps in Up is a Someday I Want list, on paper. You definitely need to see it!

Anonymous said...

Happy Anniversary, Jo and Josh! I pray for many long and happy years together.
I took Kelley and a bunch of girls to Up last week. I didn't fight to hold back the tears, though - I cried! Twice! And I was a little weepy the rest of that day. Loved the movie, and I love when movies make you really feel something.
Mary

affectioknit said...

Congratulations on your anniversary! Thanks for the movie review to - I want to see both of them...

Kacie said...

Happy anniversary!

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