Blessings #15

Scout Niblett - This Fool Can Die Now (2011)

Do you want to live forever? These were the type of questions from my best friend when we were little. She was the type who always took my hand when she was excited. It made perfect sense when we were kids but later, when we became teenagers, I didn't know how to react. It became awkward between us but that was probably only me. She never seemed to mind or notice but eventually she gave up on me. It wasn't long before I began to miss that twinkle in her eye. By then we were in college on other sides of the country and I was dating the woman who would become my wife. I still thought about my childhood friend often but never managed to find out where she disappeared to all those years later. It wasn't until the era of facebook hit us that I finally discovered her again. She was single, raising a child on her own and living somewhere on the east coast. I never imagined that anything would ever come of it but then my divorce happened. I began to write to her about the good ole days and an invitation to visit followed. Was it meant to be? I don't know but I've discovered that she never gave up that light that came from her eyes. Our children grew old around us and there were many days that provided more magic than I ever imagined possible. Those were the days when I felt like I could live forever. But now...If only she would stay by my side. I can't imagine life without her. As I sit by this bed, warming her cold hands, I hope for the moment that she'll open her eyes again and give me that special look that comes from the days of our youth. Please...just once more, my good friend.

Water Lillies - Celine Sciamma (2007)

It's so refreshing to watch a movie about a young teenager coming of age, learning about her sexuality without it being horribly provocative so that it just turns into some male lens fantasy made by some men who never truly matured in life. "Water Lillies' is that film. It follows a trio of girls during one summer as they deal with the awareness of their first sexual encounters. The backdrop is in the confines of synchronized swim teams as they compete in the pool and for the hearts of those for whom they long to connect. The beautiful girl, Florianne, is still a virgin though she plays the opposite for all the other girls who think she's just a slut. She confides in the awkward girl, Marie, who is infatuated with Florianne and does just about anything in order to be close to her. Marie's best friend, Anne, becomes resentful of Marie's new friendship. All the other girls laugh behind her back, because Anne is overweight and doesn't seem to care about being pretty. But she has more than enough confidence to go around, which eventually gets her into bed with the cute boy who has repeatedly been rejected by Florianne because she can't seem to get over the hump of going all the way. Before long Florianne allows Marie to get more intimate but is it simply because she knows that she can control her? The paths taken by these three characters is a genuine expression of a difficult time for adolescent girls. None of it is about glowing nubile bodies or magical ideas of sex. There are no pat resolutions that make everyone feel good. It's about growing up and doing your best to deal with conflicting and strange emotions that have taken control of your life. The girls may all seem a little older by the end but it all came from the natural flow of some real world experiences.