I'm becoming so keenly aware of how much I turn to the media for things. For validation, for comfort, for relief, for information. The list could go on and on.
This weekend I came to the realization that I turn to media: movies, music, tv shows to fill emotional holes I have. My younger sister had a birthday this weekend so we planned an afternoon outing to the movie theater to celebrate as sisters. There are a lot of sisters in my family so we decided to stay true to our normal form, be typical girls, and go see the latest Nicholas Sparks movie together.
It's called The Choice.
Here's the trailer in case you haven't heard of it.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nWPM1jTnuuo
It hits you right in the feels. During this movie, every heartbreak I've ever experienced began to resurface. My unrealistic desire for the perfect romance with a cute southern boy came to the forefront of my mind and every imperfection about my love life was staring me in the face.
These stories don't actually happen. Relationships don't form the way they do in these sappy romantic and dramatic films, but we let ourselves believe 'it could' happen to us. Which is what they want us to believe and its the reason why we all continue to go see the movies we could predict the ending to ourselves.
BUT. I don't feel bad about it. I laughed, I cried, I swooned over the southern gentleman, and left hopeful that I too can have my own southern babe.
Love may not always be sunshine, daisies, and chocolate milk, but can be so much more than that. It's deeper than what the media makes of it. It can and will hold more significance in our lives if we let it. There is more than the lustful love we see on screen. We can love eternally and have love that lasts for eternity. I do turn to the media for emotional fills but it is so much more important to turn to the Lord, to the gospel, and to my Father in Heaven. He understands far better than any music artist or movie director what I think and feel and can fill the holes in my heart and head better than anything else. It's a choice we make.
I really like this post. I used to feel the same way whenever I watched shows like this. They were so moving and made me emotional but they were also very unrealistic!
ReplyDeleteI love your last paragraph about our choices to love. I have found that to be true in my own marriage. It is the small, daily, really ordinary things that actually melt my heart more than dramatic romantic gestures. I get so excited to make Ryan breakfast before he wakes up and it almost makes me cry when he does the laundry and cleaning because I feel stressed with other things. Or when he visits my grandma with me, or texts me during the day even though I know he is super busy at work and class. It is funny because now that I have him, romantic movies don't really fill that need at all. There is almost no pleasure from watching them!
ReplyDeleteI absolutely love this! I wrote my blog this week about unrealistic love expectations because I went and saw this movie too. I definitely cried and loved the movie, but is it unrealistic? Absolutely. I love how your last paragraph talks about how Heavenly Father can fill those holes in our heart that feel imperfect. Beautiful!
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