Mother, Gatsby, and Re-invention
Yesterday (Mother's Day) I spent the afternoon in a movie theater (alone) watching the latest interpretation of Gatsby. As a long time student of the works of Fitzgerald and the lives of both Scott and Zelda, I did leave thinking they would approve. This latest attempt to capture on film the deep seated emotions of the book were hinted at, but somewhat blurred by the 3-D imagery and the pace of the picture. This version was hardly melancholy, in fact it was almost jovial. The contradiction was not lost on me, as that was the essence of Gatsby ( and the Fitzgeralds). The book was so amazing and has had such longevity because it was really an embellished autobiography of the writer, as most great books are. Overall, I left feeling like I had seen the same story...handled well...by a new set of eyes. By the way, if you just go to the movies to be entertained the sets, costumes, and actors are all beautiful!
This brought me back to the occasion, Mother's Day, my own life and that of my Mother. You see, she was not to the manor born, but a truly self made woman in every sense. Not a traditional beauty of the time (early 50's), she aged into her looks with great style through the decades and passed far to soon at the age of 63. In my estimation, she was at her best when she left us from complications from a stroke with a fool of a doctor that should have lost his license to practice. In the end it is all about the life that was lived, and the way in which it was lived with style, grace and humility. Mother, like Gatsby, was better than the whole lot of "them" (in the words of Nick Caraway). She was the person she made herself into....fresh and new, full of good and a lover of life! Her admonition to me was always the same...kill them with kindness.
I have also "re-invented" myself many times over the decades. In the process I have had many grand adventures with some quite grand characters. Some were really grand...some just thought they were....all of them helped to bring me to this place.
So the moral here is this....if you do not like the person you see in the mirror then decide who you want to be and make the effort. Watch, listen, and act...but be careful what you wish for...you just may get it.
As always...xx.DT
This brought me back to the occasion, Mother's Day, my own life and that of my Mother. You see, she was not to the manor born, but a truly self made woman in every sense. Not a traditional beauty of the time (early 50's), she aged into her looks with great style through the decades and passed far to soon at the age of 63. In my estimation, she was at her best when she left us from complications from a stroke with a fool of a doctor that should have lost his license to practice. In the end it is all about the life that was lived, and the way in which it was lived with style, grace and humility. Mother, like Gatsby, was better than the whole lot of "them" (in the words of Nick Caraway). She was the person she made herself into....fresh and new, full of good and a lover of life! Her admonition to me was always the same...kill them with kindness.
I have also "re-invented" myself many times over the decades. In the process I have had many grand adventures with some quite grand characters. Some were really grand...some just thought they were....all of them helped to bring me to this place.
So the moral here is this....if you do not like the person you see in the mirror then decide who you want to be and make the effort. Watch, listen, and act...but be careful what you wish for...you just may get it.
As always...xx.DT
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