Wednesday 24 February 2010

Lives of quiet desperation

I'm having a wallowing day today. Maybe it's because of the snow (five inches already and it's only 11.30am), or maybe it's just that I'm having an off day.

Last night I watched the incredibly thought provoking film Revolutionary Road and was reminded of Henry David Thoreau's quote "Most people live lives of quiet desperation and go to the grave with their song still in them".


It's this hopeless emptiness that is portrayed in the film, and it's done so with the same raw emotion and sense of desperation that so many of us have felt at some time in our lives.


Other times, like today, you get up in the morning and nothing is wrong but nothing is particularly right either.

As Barry Manilow sings:-

"I'm doing okay, but not very well.
No jolts, no surprises, no crisis arises,
my life goes along as it should,
it's all very nice but not very good"

Every now and then I have these moments, and it's in these times of quiet evaluation and introspection that change usually happens.

Because in many ways I am singing my song these days. Metaphorically and physically. I love what I do, I have a wonderful family and some great friends, both new and old. And our all singing all dancing auditions for this year's pantomime by the Balerno Theatre Company kick off next month.

So it's time for me to start singing once again. To look to the future, because as George Burns once said, "I look to the future because that's where I'm going to spend the rest of my life".

But not today. Today is for wallowing. And for listening to Barry.

More about Balerno Theatre Company

1 comment:

Sharon McPherson said...

Hey good luck with your auditions ... exciting stuff.

I think I will watch the movie Revolutionary Road. I wasn't intending to because Winslet and Dicaprio combo doesn't appeal to me. (Though they did in Titanic, of course - and that's how I want to remember their chenmistry). But I like your review ...

ANYWAY ... I wanted to say, that was weird my email going missing. Have sent it again. I'm coming on the 3 March. If you don't get this email, let me know and I'll send by a different account. x