The Greatest Adventure is to Love

Recently, I watched a movie I really liked. It surprises me that an animation can be like the bible--shallow enough for a child to wade in, yet deep enough for the contemplative adults to dive into, and find many precious treasures for life.

'Up' is a simple story that keeps surprising me with the turn of events, and the change of hearts. The innocent love for adventure bridged the lives of two enthusiastic children and brought them into a lasting romance, amidst life's ups and downs. Even though the couple was eventually separated by death, the old man continued to cling on to everything that symbolises the enduring love and deep affection he once had with his dear wife and best friend. These included the quaint little house filled with her photos and many precious keepsakes left over from the life they shared, his wife's journal with empty pages awaiting to be filled with adventures yet realised since their childhood vow to explore and build a castle in the wilderness of South America together.

This reminds me of how much marks and prints we can leave in the homes and lives of the people we have loved and lived with, and vice versa. Often these come in little objects, habits, simple phrases, echoes of laughter and speech, memories intricately tied to and drawn upon by everyday encounters... What a difference relationships and friendships can really make to one's life, how they can enrich a moment, brighten a day, sweeten a season, and fill up a soul.

I remembered the parting with a close friend and room-mate in university. Agnes has become a very important part of my life, a big sister (spiritually and emotionally) that I can turn to when life seems to hit a dead-end, a friend that I can confide and laugh and cry with, a sparkle of hope and joy to focus on when life gets monotonous and dry. On the last day of our sharing of the hostel room, she bid her farewell with her typical warm hug, I fought back my tears, and tried to return the cheer. When she finally disappeared, the once cosy and homely room, suddenly felt so empty, the silence, so pressing, that I had to quickly switch on the radio, call someone and arrange a meeting to stop feeling so lonely.

Yet loneliness has become a good teacher to me over the years, it shows me what really matters and helps me to appreciate the people God has given me whether for a longer term, a season, or even just a short while. This is especially so when i start to feel irritated by the noisy slippers of my Papa, my mother's repeated reminders or the little requests from my little sister. Before i start to frown at them, i realise how fortunate i am to be able to hear them now, to have them right here with me, and before i can complain, thankfulness and the sense of urgency grip my soul, and i quickly respond in love and prayer, lest this moment of togetherness passes yet too quickly, and the day comes when i'll miss those slippers, reminders and little requests so very much.

Yet besides the theme of the bond of love and remembrance, another theme of this movie is about letting go and moving on with new strength and courage to love and embrace a new adventure. The human soul is never made to stagnate or be wrapped up in the past, no matter how good it has been and still feels now. It is about forgetting what is behind and moving forward to a new chapter and season; to experience, to learn, and to grow; to receive and to give; to love and to be loved. Because we know God is always good, He is always doing something new in our lives, and He loves us, as if there's only one of us to love. He desires the best for us in His divine perspective, His greater plan. So we can have hope that does not disappoint, for in our hearts, His Spirit tells us, we can trust Him and He will never forsake or forget us.

In the movie, at the crucial moment, the old man finally turned the "last filled page" of the journal, and discovered the pages his wife has lovingly filled in without his knowledge. Pages filled with pictures of their happy moments, the joy of growing old together, the delight of being there for each other, the depth of knowing they will always be close to each other in their hearts and souls and minds....and the last wish she had for him "Thank you for the adventure, now go have a new one!" He was finally released to live, and love, and seek, and fight, for the living and the hope, again. And this time, the new adventure for him, as the movie has it, comes in the form of yet another little child, in need of a father who is present, whom he can look to and look up to, and who loves him.

My mentor once illustrated to me the truth about life's changing seasons and the importance of keeping open palms. God may give us something or someone to love and to enjoy for a season, and there will come a time for Him to take it away, not to grieve us--though it usually will, but to help us move on. If we can learn to trust His father's heart and faithfulness, we will hold the precious gift in open arms, so that He can gently take it away and replace it with another gift. If we try to clench our hand into a tight fist or hold the gift in a hard grip, He would have to ply open those fingers one by one, not only would we make the whole process even more painful, we might also damage the gift or the beautiful memories it has left. It would also take us longer and harder to discover and appreciate the new gift coming in its place.

He gives and He takes away. Blessed be His name, for He knows the best and has already given His Very Best to us, forever.