My Favorite Things


Many choices require thoughtful consideration before reaching a conclusion and other times it's better to be spontaneous and do the first thing that comes to your mind. This skill shouldn't be that hard but one question usually freezes me in my tracks. I struggle, and usually fail, to choose a favorite. Since my youngest days I have dread the thought that someone might ask what thing I like the most. It doesn't matter if it is food, color, music, subject, teacher, parent, sibling, weather or wife. Okay, I put in that last one just to see if anyone got to the end of the list.

I'll be at a party and will meet someone for the first time. Inevitably we will find a common interest and the question will appear. Even though I know that I could say that my favorite movie is Shawshank Redemption, I have to pause. I know that Shawshank has earned tremendous critical acclaim but more important it speaks intimately to many core values. The very thought of remaining true to one's own self in the face of complete injustice and abject evil and oppression feels like an essential truth of the human condition. But before those words escape my mouth  . . .

I think of Charade. First, almost any movie with Audrey Hepburn could be my favorite movie. But the mixture of mystery, suspense and comedy as portrayed by Hepburn, Grant, Mathau, and Kennedy make me wonder if perhaps that picture better describes what I like in a movie, even more than Shawshank. Especially because of the face that Cary Grant pulls at the very end of the movie as a complete surprise to Ms. Hepburn. Perhaps that should be my favorite.

But again I pause. For the last almost twenty years as a parent I have found myself watching and enjoying more animated movies than live action shows. While our family has enjoyed our share of Disney, Pixar, and Dreamworks productions, there is one movie that we have seen more than most of those combined. The movie is called The Magic Adventures of Mumfie. I don't think I have met, in life, a single person who has seen this movie besides someone in our family. My wife received it as a press copy when my daughter was two and we would watch it when she would wake up and I was trying to get her back to sleep.

Since I can quote Mumfie even better than the Princess Bride, which could also be the favorite . . . I am now completely lost as to the answer that I should give to what was probably a completely innocent question. What is my favorite movie? I have absolutely no idea. My only escape is to change the subject. I say, "You know, I really don't have a favorite movie. In fact, the only thing where I can choose a favorite is colors and my favorite color is black."

It's a complete lie, but in paint all colors together make black.

Comments

Post a Comment

Thank you for keeping your comments positive and helpful..

Popular posts from this blog

No More Tears?

Image
Life is funny and full of surprises. It may surprise many of people to learn that I cry quite a lot. I cry at movies, during television shows and even some commercials.  I know that some of the things that make me cry are nothing more than emotionally manipulative plots with added melancholy music.   Even schmaltzy Hallmark specials have my tears flowing.  Perhaps the apex of my emotionality resulted from a television special,The Golden Moment, that I saw in junior high school. As we prepared for the birth of our first child my wife and I attended prenatal and basic parenting classes.  I remember asking one nurse whether I would recognize my child after the baby was born?  I remember getting choked up just asking the question.  She assured me that I would and that just to make sure we would get matching bracelets until we left the hospital; so there was no reason to worry about taking the wrong child home. So, when my daughter was born, I fully expected the moment to be full
Read more

Merry Christmas 2013

Image
Today I thank my mother and father for their goodness, kindness and example that I hope to emulate through my years. I thank my brother Paul for his leadership. As the eldest of numerous siblings he has paved the way for us all to set goals and achieve them. My sister Kathy has always stood for that which is right.  Her virtuous living and stalwart life keeps us steady and grounded. Joanne has kept our family fun and imbued us with continued traditions.  Thank you Jody. Diane has blessed us all with the example of continual hope.  Her courage in the face of trials is a gift I remember on this Christmas Day. Elaine will give her support to anyone at any time and for any need.  I am not even sure she asks why.  Thank you for that unconditional love. Richard will get into the grind and solve any problem as quickly as it arises.  He shows me the value of not waiting and rueing but just getting in and doing it. My brother Robert, the second of the twins, keeps his youthful
Read more

Winter

Image
In winter when gloom and dark abound, We lay our heads upon our beds with cold and dread all about. But at the start of dawn's too bright light some hope seeps in our life. For while we slept the dark black clouds emptied their feigned despair blowing down a serene blanket white. Untouched our world feels like a comforter, deceptively warm. The earth is covered with no escape. But there is no fear nor claustrophobic dread. Instead the shining moon drifts above our sleeping heads. A  continuing snowfall scatters the reflected light. Falling flakes fill the air with a brilliant array of heavenly hope. Hope that comes from this blanket so fair. The world now brimming in brilliant white. We gather our boots our scarves and our coats. We know the cold air that awaits. Our flesh is to weak to withstand the harsh blast of deep winter's icy, sharp flair. We take a step to just explore. We are vulnerable. We feel the cold. We are small.   We groan, we moan
Read more