dual*ities
LIGHT. SHADE. AND EVERYTHING IN BETWEEN.
Tuesday, February 01, 2005
the neverending story revisited
The NeverEnding Story I
I was at a business meeting with some members of the JVP executive committee this evening, when a powerline popped up during the discussion. Gabby, our foundation president, quipped: "It has to hurt to heal." Those of us who were listening to him were like...oooh, where did that come from? But at the same time, we knew exactly what he meant.
But Gabby was not content. To further drive home his point, he said: "...add salt to injury." We all laughed. My word, that one would really hurt! haha. Okay Gabby, point taken.=)
Apparently, Gabby was quoting from The NeverEnding Story (circa 1984), which I remember to be one of my favorite movies when I was a kid. It was the fantasy film of its time--part-scary, part-funny, but ever exciting from beginning to end. My fondest memory of it has to do with The Childlike Empress, who i just found to be so amazinglybeautiful! She's the type that little girls dream of. Either you want to be her or you want her to be your friend. Plus, of course, there is the element of the magic book, a mythical land that needs to be rescued from Nothingness, and a "lost" young boy who turns out to be the hero that saves the day. With all these, it was bound to be a classic.
Usually, when watching movies, I'm the type of person who takes note of quotable quotes and powerlines. That, however, was not the case with TheNeverEnding Story. I don't know why exactly. I must have been too young then to catch the aforementioned quote, much less realize what it meant. But now, more than twenty years after, it sure hits home! Makes me realize how old I am. Well, as we all know, a LOT can happen in twenty years to make you grow, and grow old. In fact, while we are at it, a LOT can happen in a year or two to change a person! I'm sure even the Childlike Empress isn't so childlike anymore these days.
Anyway, I just was mulling over what the line (the "hurt to heal" one, not the "salt" one) means to me these days. I realize that "hurt" is not even a word i would consider to describe how I am at present. Does that mean that "healing" is absent in my life too? I don't know. But I would say that right now, I am in what I call an in-between phase. Looking back to the past with fondness and gratitude, but needing to leave it to move towards what else could become. And I am at peace with it. Maybe there's healing in that too.=)
pol, 11:49 PM
2 Comments:
i loved this also when i was a kid. been looking for it for the longest time. all i can find is the part II. i don't need the part II.
yup may8! i agree, part I's the best. i don't even remember anything significant from part II. also, i believe they have the game version now. so, when you mention "the neverending story" to kids today, they know the game, not the movie.
