Disheartening Realizations
Yesterday I went to my thought world. I like to travel there while I drive or shower or sit and stare at the wall.
A familiar thought resurfaced: the disheartening realization that no matter what you contribute to society, it and you will eventually be forgotten. Sure, I know that Eli Whitney invented the cotton gin (or took credit for it, at least), but I don't know, care about, or love Eli Whitney. He's just a name. It's rare that even a name gets remembered.
Say I fulfill my dreams and make a movie or publish a novel. Whether it's a hit or flop, in a few months/years it'll be old news. Young kids will laugh that older generations ever thought it was cool.
I had been browsing through upcoming movies and was amazed at how many movies an individual actor will work on in a year. It's such an inflated market, and so much work and money go into each film. Still, the people that made it awesome all pass their prime eventually.
Take Cary Elwes. I like him. He's so dreamy in The Princess Bride. He's in a new movie with Natalie Portman, and let's face it: he doesn't look at all like the Wesley we know and love. He will probably never have a roll like that again, nor could he. That was over 15 years ago. That's a timeless movie, but even it might be forgotten in 50 years.
I saw picture of an old actress hanging at Buca Di Beppos on Saturday night. I thought maybe it was Greta Garbo, but even my 80 year-old grandma didn't know who it was, because the actress was before my grandma's time. A familiar face with no name.
Actors, athletes, any performer has an expiration date. And their game, movie, production is only enjoyed for a short period of time.
So I thought, "What's the point? Why am I even trying to do this?"
Except for fun, there's no point if I do it for myself. But I concluded that if I keep my trust in God, my only eternal hope, then whatever plans He has for me on earth will be part of a bigger picture. It doesn't matter what art I create on my own, but what art I create for Him and through Him.
Then when I'm gone and a few generations pass and my name is less remembered than Eli Whitney, it won't matter, because God's plan keeps going. I can know that I completed my part of the story.
A familiar thought resurfaced: the disheartening realization that no matter what you contribute to society, it and you will eventually be forgotten. Sure, I know that Eli Whitney invented the cotton gin (or took credit for it, at least), but I don't know, care about, or love Eli Whitney. He's just a name. It's rare that even a name gets remembered.
Say I fulfill my dreams and make a movie or publish a novel. Whether it's a hit or flop, in a few months/years it'll be old news. Young kids will laugh that older generations ever thought it was cool.
I had been browsing through upcoming movies and was amazed at how many movies an individual actor will work on in a year. It's such an inflated market, and so much work and money go into each film. Still, the people that made it awesome all pass their prime eventually.
Take Cary Elwes. I like him. He's so dreamy in The Princess Bride. He's in a new movie with Natalie Portman, and let's face it: he doesn't look at all like the Wesley we know and love. He will probably never have a roll like that again, nor could he. That was over 15 years ago. That's a timeless movie, but even it might be forgotten in 50 years.
I saw picture of an old actress hanging at Buca Di Beppos on Saturday night. I thought maybe it was Greta Garbo, but even my 80 year-old grandma didn't know who it was, because the actress was before my grandma's time. A familiar face with no name.
Actors, athletes, any performer has an expiration date. And their game, movie, production is only enjoyed for a short period of time.
So I thought, "What's the point? Why am I even trying to do this?"
Except for fun, there's no point if I do it for myself. But I concluded that if I keep my trust in God, my only eternal hope, then whatever plans He has for me on earth will be part of a bigger picture. It doesn't matter what art I create on my own, but what art I create for Him and through Him.
Then when I'm gone and a few generations pass and my name is less remembered than Eli Whitney, it won't matter, because God's plan keeps going. I can know that I completed my part of the story.
Comments
I once heard Louie Giglio say that our lifetimes were as short-lived as a match's flame, so the only way to have true meaning was to add our flame to a greater glory. Everything is going to be forgotten except what is done for the eternal fame of God.
I think of that when I wonder what my life is for and mourn over lost dreams and possibilities that will probably never be true. I think this understanding of life and fame's transience is part of the wisdom that comes with age, btw ;) welcome to the club.
Abby