Perfection Eclipsed

Originally published on September 25, 2010

Photo taken by imelenchon

Morning air tingled with excitement. Children danced at breakfast.  Husband shimmered with pure masculinity. Our date with perfection loomed. We prepared ourselves with the two movies. Then a call; the cinema was showing Twilight, New Moon and then Eclipse at midnight. A feast of romantic vampires and werewolves began at 6:30. The day could not move fast enough. A flurry of rearranging schedules in order to be at the theater in time for a good seat. We gathered under a steaming sun to wait for doors to open. Teams of women fought for their hero: sparkly Edward or warm Jacob. Anticipation rippled the air as a door opened. Breath bated as we walked into the air-conditioned theater. 

Photo taken by mconnors

We sat in a crowded theater, united.  Popcorn, soda, three movies in a row, sighs of pleasure with tears for the broken hearts. Twilight started. The cultural collective gasped at the beauty before us.  Ideal love bloomed before our eyes. A break between films met with quick refills and conversation. New Moon started.  All teared at the abandonment then cheered the lovers’ reunion. With the completion of the first two films, the hour wait for Eclipse began.  Laughter and enthusiasm for romance was contagious.

Cheers erupted as the lights went dark. All transported into a world where vampires are virtuous and werewolves are best friends.  Just as the vampires began training the werewolves for a battle, the frame stalled.

It turned brown. 

Photo taken by mconnors

It bubbled.

                          

It receded from the screen leaving a blinding white light. A harmony of gasps filled the auditorium.  

Then a beautiful picture, we breathed a sigh of relief.  Vampires began explaining how to kill a newborn vampire and the unthinkable.

The film again turned brown, bubbled and melted  from the screen leaving a blinding white light.

The room went black.

Angry shock and cries of disbelief arose.  Life interrupted our flawless experience.  

People around me expressed irritation.  How could this happen?  This is not what was planned.  As I listened a realization glimmered. We all came with an expectation of faultlessness. A conclusion drew itself; the cause of frustration on this planet is that perfection does not exist.  We are not able to create it, maintain it or propagate it.   Then deep disappointment when our illusion of perfection we created crumbles or melts away.

Years earlier Merry-my cousin who has her Masters in Philosophy- and I had a conversation. The topic: where does this idea of perfection come from?  She explained that some philosophers say it comes from an idea of God. The two main thinkers who use this ontological argument to validate God's existence are Anselm and Descartes. 

Photo taken by click

Anselm said, “God is that being which no greater can be conceived.” His basic argument is: A perfect being is one who is completely flawless. Existence is a perfection-because it is better to be than not to be. Therefore, God exists. Anslem further explains using the Psalm 14:1: “The fool says in his heart there is no God,” The fool must first think of what God might be in order to say that God does not exist.

Descartes contributes with: in order to have an idea of perfection, first one must acknowledge that I did not generate this idea because I am not perfect. Therefore, this idea of perfection must have been placed inside of my mind by a perfect being God, must exist.

I pondered and realized that all long for perfection. Yet, we are hindered by trusting a Being that cannot be seen. One who is Greater than ourselves and the Author of our state, time and awareness.  When we deny ourselves a Divine relationship, we rob ourselves of perfection. We in turn, create our own and are terribly disappointed. We need to learn about a Perfect Being who longs to satisfy our longing. He even created a way for us to cultivate a relationship through grace and love. 

I sat in that theater thinking about these things and felt thankful. I am not expected to be perfect, because perfection exists solely in Him. Through grace I laughed at the flaw. Delight found my experience. Because of Divine grace, I can extend grace to those around me. I felt empathy for the employees scrambling to remedy the film’s problem and dealing with aggravated Twihards.

Photo taken by mconnors

An usher entered the room, "The film got wrapped up in the brain. The managers are untangling it, splicing it and then they will be able to start up the film again."  

Many have been the days where I the film of my plans and ideas got wrapped up in my brain.  I sat back, ate my popcorn, drank my soda and soaked in the perfect moment.