(Originally published in the Catholic Times, August 26, 2012 © 2012 Mary van Balen)
I had just returned from a trip to Seattle, and while a three-hour difference in time didn’t seem like it should make much difference to my body clock, it did. I dragged myself out of bed for early Mass, did some grocery shopping, and not much else despite a long to-do list. Then came a call from a friend who had just seen the movie, “The Intouchables.”
The trailer for that movie had intrigued me earlier in the summer, and I knew I would want to see it. Checking my work schedule and the film’s show times, I decided to rouse myself and go. A friend agreed to meet me at the theater. Despite the price, I bought a pizza slice and cup of soda for dinner, and we found a seat.
We were not disappointed. Without giving too much away, I can say this French film about a wealthy French quadriplegic and his live in caregiver, a young man from the projects, is exhilarating and dramatic, a comedy and inspiration. We laughed and shed tears, and left the Drexel theater making plans to bring another friend and see it again. It is that good.
I am glad I saw it when I did, just back from a trip to the other side of the country. While there, I found myself thinking about the diversity of people in the world. How many faiths? How many ways of prayer? The types of jobs, struggles, and joys are as many as the people on the planet. And all have something to teach us. To show us about how to live and how to love. Read More