I just saw the movie "Atonement" with a friend of mine. It sparked thought and conversation about the nature of reality, the use of - or necessity for - honesty, and whether or not there can ever be true forgiveness, especially amongst families for sins committed in one's youth.
It unstuck my writer's block, and we even had a brief discussion of some of the medical conditions in the film. (Funny how some people feel septicemia is not that big a deal!) "Can't you just take asprin for that?"
For all its cinemagraphic beauty, the movie lags at moments. Yes, war drags on forever - but must it on film, as well? Perhaps that's one of those attempts at honesty mentioned by the "author."
The end result is yes, families cause each other pain and yes, after time, some families would rather live with the lies they believe rather than shake up their paradigms with troublesome truth.
It begs the question, is a white lie better than living with pain? For full contemplative reflection, follow the viewing with listening of Jane Siberry's "Calling All Angels."
