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Everything is on its way to somewhere

14 December 2003, 8 am | Faith

George handing a boy an apple.

One more scene near the end of the movie Phenomenon (see previous entry) is a wonderful metaphor for what the right attitude should be about people that come and go in our lives.

George, played by John Travolta, tries to explain to the young boy that he should not be too upset about his impending “departure”:

If we were to put this apple down and leave it, it would be spoiled and gone within a few days. But if we were to take a bite of it, like this, it would become part of us. We take it with us, forever.

Everything is on its way to somewhere. Everything.

(Is this part of what the Christian mystics call detachment?)

Comments

  1. It’s a great concept, but I don’t think it’s detachment. Detachment is the act of knowing something is there, but not paying attention (getting attached) to it - but focusing your attention on God.

    For me, eating the apple is like giving ourselves in service of God and others. When we give of ourselves, the receiver takes that gift with them. If we give well, then that gift makes a positive, even if only slight difference in them forever.

    ∼ πλ · 15 December 2003, 6 pm · by Steve Bogner ¬

  2. Steve, I don’t think you exactly meant to say “not paying attention to”. I think detachment is more about not being clingy/graspy or possessive of something or someone.

    From within Love, you make a warm and welcome space for people to be free to find themselves. And when they decide to move out of your space, you cannot become possessive or clingy to them, or even to the thought of them. Taking a bite from the apple is accepting the gift (I like your metaphor) or experience of that person and incorporating it into to your expericence.

    So, in the end, I cannot affect you without you affecting me.

    ∼ πλ · 16 December 2003, 12 pm · by Mark ¬

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