Monday 15 June 2009

I love you just because you lead me down to the ocean

I have often wondered at our absolute desire as human beings to have those around us love that which we do as much as we do. I can certainly say for myself that when I have a moment with something, someone or someplace, I just want others to experience it. And not just to validate that I was, of course, correct in being so excited by or moved by that thing but just because I want them to experience the same kind of joy I have with whatever it is. I guess I realised though, that that's rarely possible because even if someone does love a thing as much as you, it's more than likely they will love it for a very different reason. Equally, they may not love it at all and though this may be purely down to personal taste, it may be that they simply cannot love it as much as you 'coz you resonate with whatever it is on a level which just gets your gut in a way it won't theirs. To give an example, I watched the film 'The Notebook' with a friend whose like a younger sister to me. We were wrapped in a beach towel watching it under the Austarlian stars at the outdoor cinema of a water park. Yes, the story of the film is very hearfelt and moving but I have such fond memories of that evening down under, this added dimension totally adds to my love of the film. Now, I can't give someone that feeling but neither can they give me their experience of how or why something so speaks to them.

A few months ago my good friend Tom, a lover of many art forms in their utter intricacies, attempted to educate me in the ways of the film 'Buffalo 66'. I mean he raved about this film and though I doubt he could ever create a top five list where films are concerned, I imagine if he could, this film would be in it. Now, I'm not sure I recall him telling me I had to watch this film on my own to receive its full impact but if he did, perhaps he didn't stress the point enough. Long story short, the film was viewed by a bunch of us and Tom was invited to join the collective as we did so, being as this was his thang. I can't really recall where it all went wrong that night, it just did. Perhaps it was my initial dislike of the film's protagonist or it could have been the various low level conversations that occured intermitently throughout the plot. I just know that Tom left that night feeling something of a deflated man, like he'd failed in his mission to convert me to the film's beauty. I was also reminded/chastised that I should have watched it solo. The thing is, it wasn't that I didn't like the film or the protagonist either in the end as it turned out, it's just that my ability to relate to and empathise with his character could in no way compete with Tom's ability to do the same, with or without the posse in tow.

It was with a wry smile and a little trepidation then that I received a cd from Tom on Saturday night. The writing upon it simply said 'To be listened to in the dark alone. Richard Hawley "The Ocean"'. The 'Buffalo 66 incident' as it could best be called has become something of a running joke now and the wrath of Tom is no longer to be feared. Besides, the boy mostly has impecable taste and there's every chance a girl could miss out if she paid no attention to his attempts to educate. These things considered, I felt I should like to honour the scrawled instructions laid before me and give the song every chance to penetrate my very soul. In the lamp light and lateness of last night then, I'm pleased to report the song did just that. By way of surprise and just because, I instantly fell for the Hawley charm or perhaps more so the subject matter. Whatever it was, whether the reasons be similar or not to Tom's, I'm so very glad he chose to share.

Given all of the above, I think then I will continue to share my passions with others on account of even the remotest possibilty they may share in some lovely joy as a result. They may not get get my passions or get them in the same way I do, but I figure good things are still worth sharing and passing on just in case. Perhaps I shall start now and commend to you also the above ocean song of wonder and then sit back and await the Hawley revolution. This power in the hands of you faithful seven could well go far. Use it wisely.

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