There is a scene in the film Phenomenon where George, who knows he is dying, takes a bite of an apple and passes it to the children of Lace (the woman George loves) Al and Glory for them to take a bite. He tells them that by taking a bite, the apple becomes part of them and remains with them forever.
When George passes over, Lace, Al and Glory are sitting together on the front porch of their home and they look out to the tree in the yard and as it moves in tune with the breeze, they know George is there, he is the tree – they are the tree.
This struck a cord in me. We are all energy – we are all connected. Everything is me and I am everything.
So I took myself down to the Grand River. A favourite spot of mine is where in a short space the river takes itself through a choreographed dance, synchronized to perfection. It starts out smooth, a reflecting pond of glass, serene, not a care in the world – like it has all day, no plans, no where to be, except where it is right now. Then it drops down and crashes, picking up speed, pushing its self around rocks and island shrubbery. White and bubbling, it escalates in aggression racing to its destination soon to realize that it has made it and can now relax. The white caps shrink into ripples and it takes a breath, kicking back, as if smiling. It meanders on – the goal of a destination, no more. Where ever the direction of the crevice it has cut into the land takes it; will be right.
I lean against the railing and rather than just observe I allow myself to go into the river in my mind and I become the river. I feel every phase it takes itself through. I am the stillness, the rush, the bubbles, the ripples. I am the serenity, I am the force.
I take myself to the forest and without touching physically; I am the texture of the bark, the dampness in the earth, the rustle of the leaves from a breeze brushing by, the squirrels crashing to the ground, from a leap to a branch that did not reach out far enough.
I take my seat in the theatre and the orchestra begins to play and I am the wood of the violin, the strings of the cello, the keys of the piano, the brass of the trumpet.
I am alive and I know I am all. I am all of everything and that knowing – perhaps more a remembering brings me to smiling. It brings me to the energy of Happiness. I am; Happiness.
This phenomenon; Happiness is not what someone or something can give you. It’s not about things working out, falling into place. It’s not health, wealth, beauty, being in love. People affirm this; I just don’t think they hear what they are saying. I meet so many who have amazing incomes, great jobs, beautiful homes, the freedom to travel, good relationships, healthy kids and they tell me they are not happy. By the expression on their faces – you know, they don’t get it and don’t have a clue how they are going to find it.
Children show us this. Take the little darlings on an outing. Everyone’s going to have great time. And for those who don’t have kids, I’m sure you’ve heard about this from those that do – or perhaps your partner is the immature/ high maintenance type and they can serve as the equivalent in this illustration. With kids it is rare that your plans do not go array. Someone cries over something. The ice cream leaves the cone and ends up on the sidewalk, the juice spills in their lap, the item they have to have – that you won’t buy. The sibling that sits where they wanted to sit and then there is the classic – “He looked at me.” The mishaps are a given and yet at the end of the day, you can still return home and feel you had a good time.
Perhaps it’s really that when they weren’t looking you jumped in the car and drove off without them. Okay – you can only do this with the immature/high maintenance partner. You have to bring the kids back – it’s illegal to take off without them.
What I’m saying is; that where ever I find myself and sometimes it seems pretty dismal, I ask myself to look out and around me and in no time it envelopes me and takes hold. Nothing, no one, can give this to me. Nothing, no one can take it from me.
Happiness; is Life.
It’s right outside your window, your front door, your back door, you side door.
What they say is true. You cannot buy Happiness – probably, because it costs nothing.
Phenomenon, 1996 film
Written by Gerald Di Pego, directed by Jon Turteltaub. Starring John Travolta, Kyra Sedgwick, Forest Whitaker and Robert Duvall.
The Grand River, section mentioned, located in Cambridge (Galt section) Ontario, Canada.