Wednesday 23 May 2018

Sword of Light





" My wife and I learned that if you ask yourself such a question, and you genuinely desire the answer (no matter how disgraceful and terrible and shameful), then a memory of something you did that was stupid and wrong at some point in the generally not-distant-enough past will arise from the depths of your mind. 

Then you can go back to your partner and reveal why you’re an idiot, and apologize (sincerely) and that person can do the same for you, and then apologize (sincerely), and then you two idiots will be able to talk again. 

Perhaps that is true prayer: the question, 

What have I done wrong, and what can I do now to set things at least a little bit more right?” 

But your heart must be open to the terrible truth. You must be receptive to that which you do not want to hear. 

When you decide to learn about your faults, so that they can be rectified, you open a line of communication with the source of all revelatory thought. Maybe that’s the same thing as consulting your conscience. Maybe that’s the same thing, in some manner, as a discussion with God. 

 It was in that spirit, with some paper in front of me, that I asked my question: 

What shall I do with my newfound Sword of Light?



Write down the words you want inscribed on your soul. I wrote that down. 



What shall I do next year? 
Try to ensure that the good I do then will be exceeded only by the good I do the year after that. 



What shall I do with my life? 

Aim for Paradise, and concentrate on today. Hah! I knew what that meant. It’s what Geppetto does in the Disney movie Pinocchio, when he wishes upon a star. 


The grandfatherly woodcarver lifts up his eyes to the twinkling diamond set high above the mundane world of day-to-day human concerns and articulates his deepest desire: that the marionette he created lose the strings by which he is manipulated by others and transform himself into a real boy. 



It’s also the central message of the Sermon on the Mount, as we saw in Rule 4 (Compare yourself to who you were yesterday …), but which deserve repeating here: 




 And why take ye thought for raiment? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin: And yet I say unto you, That even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which to day is, and to morrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith? Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed? For your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things. But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you (Matthew 6:28-6:33). 






What does all that mean? Orient yourself properly. Then—and only then— concentrate on the day. Set your sights at the Good, the Beautiful, and the True, and then focus pointedly and carefully on the concerns of each moment. Aim continually at Heaven while you work diligently on Earth. Attend fully to the future, in that manner, while attending fully to the present. Then you have the best chance of perfecting both.




What shall I do with my wife? 


Treat her as if she is the Holy Mother of God, so that she may give birth to the world-redeeming hero. 

What shall I do with my daughter? 


Stand behind her, listen to her, guard her, train her mind, and let her know it’s OK if she wants to be a mother. 

What shall I do with my parents? 


Act such that your actions justify the suffering they endured.

 What shall I do with my son? 



Encourage him to be a true Son of God. 





How shall I educate my people?


Share with them those things I regard as truly important. That’s Rule 8 (Tell the truth—or, at least, don’t lie). That is to aim for wisdom, to distill that wisdom into words, and to speak forth those words as if they matter, with true concern and care. That’s all relevant, as well, to the next question (and answer): 

What shall I do with a torn nation?


Stitch it back together with careful words of truth. 

What shall I do for God my Father?




Sacrifice everything I hold dear to yet greater perfection. 

Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles? Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit. A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit. Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire. Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them 

(Matthew 7:16-7:20).




How shall I deal with the enlightened one? 


Replace him with the true seeker of enlightenment


What shall I do when I despise what I have? 



Remember those who have nothing and strive to be grateful.



What shall I do when greed consumes me? 


Remember that it is truly better to give than to receive.


What shall I do when I ruin my rivers? 


Seek for the living water and let it cleanse the Earth.



What shall I do when my enemy succeeds? 


Aim a little higher and be grateful for the lesson.


What shall I do when I’m tired and impatient? 


Gratefully accept an outstretched helping hand




What shall I do with the fact of aging? 


Replace the potential of my youth with the accomplishments of my maturity. 

What shall I do with my infant’s death? 


Hold my other loved ones and heal their pain. It is necessary to be strong in the face of death, because death is intrinsic to life. 



What shall I do in the next dire moment? 


Focus my attention on the next right move. The flood is coming. The flood is always coming. The apocalypse is always upon us. 



What shall I say to a faithless brother? 


The King of the Damned is a poor judge of Being.


What shall I do to strengthen my spirit? 


Do not tell lies, or do what you despise.


What shall I do to ennoble my body? 


Use it only in the service of my soul.


What shall I do with the most difficult of questions?


Consider them the gateway to the path of life.


What shall I do with the poor man’s plight? 


Strive through right example to lift his broken heart.


What shall I do when the great crowd beckons? 


Stand tall and utter my broken truths

The Ultimate Son








Vision is the Anti-Vader — Vader is The Ultimate Father, Vision is The Ultimate Son.

 Vader says (via Joss Wheedon) :

"I don't murder children"
" I do — if I have to ...."

Vision says (via Joss Wheedon) :
"I don't want kill My Father — He's Unique, and He's in Pain .... But that pain will roll over The Earth, and so, he must be destroyed...

I am.
I'm not What You Are.
And Not What You Intended.

and, upon being born, he says :

" Sorry... Thank You. "

The Ultimate Son.

The Ultimate Father





Vader :
I'm sorry. If your quarry goes to ground, leave no ground to go to. 

You should have taken my offer. 

Or did you think none of this was your fault? 

Capt. Malcolm Reynolds: 
I don't murder children. 


Vader :
I do. If I have to. 

Capt. Malcolm Reynolds: 
Why? Do you even know why they sent you? 

Vader : 
It's not my place to ask. I believe in something greater than myself. 

A Better World. 

A World Without Sin. 

Capt. Malcolm Reynolds: 
So me and mine gotta lay down and die... so you can live in your "better world"?

Vader :
I'm not going to live there. 
There's no place for me there... any more than there is for you. 


Malcolm... I'm a monster. 

[ I Disagree. ]

What I do is Evil. 

[ But you know that, so there is hope for you yet ]

I have no illusions about it, 
but it must be done.

THY WILL BE DONE

Steve Trevor is MY Hero

" 'She ran around with two Presidents', 
that's what they'll say about me...!"

- Jacqueline Kennedy

Steve Trevor was Beloved of a Goddess

and why...?
ME NEITHER.

STILL WENT ANYWAY




Hero Worship was one of the most distinctive features of ancient Greek religion. 

In Homeric Greek, “hero” (ἥρως, hḗrōs) refers to a man who was fighting on either side during the Trojan War. 

By the historical period, however, the word came to mean specifically a dead man, venerated and propitiated at his tomb or at a designated shrine, because his fame during life or unusual manner of death gave him power to support and protect the living. 

A hero was more than human but less than a god, and various kinds of supernatural figures came to be assimilated to the class of heroes; the distinction between a hero and a god was less than certain, especially in the case of Heracles, the most prominent, but atypical hero.

What if The Real SJWs are The Jedi Order..?


"A Vergence, You Say..?"

He's a Vergence - obviously he is.

If you abolish The Sith (although that is not exactly what happened) without symltaneously abolishing The Jedi, then

THE UNIVERSE WILL COMPENSATE
and
SELF-CORRECT

Something will arise

OUT OF NOWHERE
(Like a Boil)

to restore Balance


But The Jedi do not want Balance -

They want 

Peace+Justice

Hope+Change

What Luke Skywalker achieved is not what he intended - 

Sons Never Are.

he unified  

The Sith 

and 

The Jedi Order

as a lineage under The Rule of Two

(Him and His Father - for all of 5 minutes)


And then FAILED to sire a Son...

Which is why Leia's Son is no good -

She's The Hearth.

So They Have to Kill Each Other 

And Start Over.

Be a Man


"God, help. Help!"

In the midst of these great perplexities, Her Ladyship made an attempt to kill herself by taking poison.

Though she only made herself dangerously ill, due to the very small amount which she swallowed, this, nevertheless, caused an intervention from a certain quarter, which was long overdue.

Oh, my God!


"If My Mother had died... it would've been as much my responsibility as if I had poured the strychnine for her myself.

For to the everlasting disgrace of my family name I have, by my cowardice, and by my weakness allowed the Barrys to establish a brutal and ignorant tyranny over our lives which has left my mother a broken woman and to squander and ruin a fine family fortune.

[ THIS HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH MONEY ]

My friends profess sympathy, but behind my back I know I am despised.

And quite justifiably so.

However...

...I know now what I must do.

And what I shall do.

Whatever be the cost.

"Good morning, My Lord."

"Good morning.

Is Mr. Barry Lyndon here?"


"Yes, My Lord, he's inside."

"Mr. Redmond Barry.

The last occasion on which we met... you wantonly caused me injury
and dishonour.

In such a manner, and to such an extent no gentleman can willingly suffer...
...without demanding satisfaction...
...however much time intervenes.

I have now come to claim that satisfaction.




You're Welcome

King Lear is a Helluva Play...


25 INT. ANGEL'S OFFICE - NIGHT
Cordelia walks into Angel's office as he puts on his blazer.

CORDELIA
So... 
(walks up to Angel)
you feel good?

ANGEL
I do. I just...I kind of feel bad about it.

CORDELIA
My God, you are a piece of work.

ANGEL
I just don't feel like I deserve... 
(shrugs)
I mean, all I did was beat up a tiny Texan. 
It's not like I helped anyone. 
(sits on the chair arm)

CORDELIA
Sure you did.

ANGEL
Who?

CORDELIA
Boy, I really do fall for the dumb ones. 
You know how you're always trying to save, oh, every single person in The World? 
Did it ever occur to you you were one of them?

ANGEL
No, it never did.

CORDELIA
Well, you made the list, gorgeous. 
And you needed some help.

ANGEL
And you were the one that helped me.

CORDELIA
I did my part. 
(sits beside Angel)

ANGEL
Lindsey wasted a lot of energy trying to make me doubt myself. I know it's not even close to over, but I do feel like I can do this. Wolfram & Hart, whatever's coming, I feel like we can beat it.

CORDELIA
I know.

ANGEL
You do?

CORDELIA
I always did. I... I just needed you to know it, too.

ANGEL
So all that stuff about the deals with the devil...

CORDELIA
(nods)
Was God's honest truth. 
(looks at Angel)
But you're bigger than that. You'll win this in the end. 
(stands, steps away)
I, uh... just wish I could be there to see it.

ANGEL
What do you mean? You're not...

CORDELIA
(turns to face Angel)
I can't stay. This isn't me anymore. You can say good-bye to the gang for me, explain everything once you understand.

ANGEL
That's gonna be never. 
(walks toward her)
I need you here.

CORDELIA
(with tears in her eyes)
Don't make it hard, Angel. I'm just on a different road... and this is my off-ramp. The Powers That Be owed me one, and I didn't waste it. I got my guy back on track.

ANGEL
Cordy, there's just—

CORDELIA
(touches his face)
We take what we can get, champ, and we do our best with it. I'll be seeing you. 
(smiles through her tears, turns to walk out of the office)
(stops, turns around, walks quickly up to Angel)
Oh, what the hell. One for the road? 
(kisses Angel, but moments later, the telephone rings)

ANGEL
You know, um... I don't...I don't need to get that.

CORDELIA
(tenderly straightens his tie)
That you have to get. 
(Angel walks toward the phone)
Oh... and you're welcome.

ANGEL
(answers the phone)
Hello. Yes, I know. She's... but that's impossible. She's standing right— 
(turns to look for Cordelia, but she's not there; he becomes visibly upset)
I'm sorry. Yeah. 
(choking up)
When did she die? Did she, um... she never did wake up? I see. 
(hangs up, looks out to where Cordelia was standing moments earlier)
Thank you.

Fade to black.







25 INT. ANGEL'S OFFICE - NIGHT
Cordelia walks into Angel's office as he puts on his blazer.




CORDELIA
So...
(walks up to Angel)
you feel good?

ANGEL
I do. I just...I kind of feel bad about it.

CORDELIA
My God, you are a piece of work.

ANGEL
I just don't feel like I deserve...
(shrugs)
I mean, all I did was beat up a tiny Texan. It's not like I helped anyone.
(sits on the chair arm)

CORDELIA
Sure you did.

ANGEL
Who?

CORDELIA
Boy, I really do fall for the dumb ones. You know how you're always trying to save, oh, every single person in the world? Did it ever occur to you you were one of them?

ANGEL
No, it never did.

CORDELIA
Well, you made the list, gorgeous. And you needed some help.

ANGEL
And you were the one that helped me.

CORDELIA
I did my part.
(sits beside Angel)

ANGEL
Lindsey wasted a lot of energy trying to make me doubt myself. I know it's not even close to over, but I do feel like I can do this. Wolfram & Hart, whatever's coming, I feel like we can beat it.

CORDELIA
I know.

ANGEL
You do?

CORDELIA
I always did. I... I just needed you to know it, too.

ANGEL
So all that stuff about the deals with the devil...

CORDELIA
(nods)
Was God's honest truth.
(looks at Angel)
But you're bigger than that. You'll win this in the end.
(stands, steps away)
I, uh... just wish I could be there to see it.

ANGEL
What do you mean? You're not...

CORDELIA
(turns to face Angel)
I can't stay. This isn't me anymore. You can say good-bye to the gang for me, explain everything once you understand.

ANGEL
That's gonna be never.
(walks toward her)
I need you here.

CORDELIA
(with tears in her eyes)
Don't make it hard, Angel. I'm just on a different road... and this is my off-ramp. The Powers That Be owed me one, and I didn't waste it. I got my guy back on track.

ANGEL
Cordy, there's just—

CORDELIA
(touches his face)
We take what we can get, champ, and we do our best with it. I'll be seeing you.
(smiles through her tears, turns to walk out of the office)
(stops, turns around, walks quickly up to Angel)
Oh, what the hell. One for the road?
(kisses Angel, but moments later, the telephone rings)

ANGEL
You know, um... I don't...I don't need to get that.

CORDELIA
(tenderly straightens his tie)
That you have to get.
(Angel walks toward the phone)
Oh... and you're welcome.

ANGEL
(answers the phone)
Hello. Yes, I know. She's... but that's impossible. She's standing right—
(turns to look for Cordelia, but she's not there; he becomes visibly upset)
I'm sorry. Yeah.
(choking up)
When did she die? Did she, um... she never did wake up? I see.
(hangs up, looks out to where Cordelia was standing moments earlier)
Thank you.

Fade to black.

I Keep a Watch, I Do Not HAVE a Watch

I Keep a Watch, 
I Do Not HAVE a Watch


Hello, Little Man. 
Boy, I sure heard a bunch about you. 
See, I was a good friend of your dad's. 

We were in that Hanoi pit of hell together over five years. 

Hopefully, you'll never have to experience this yourself, but when two men are in a situation like me and your dad were for as long as we were, 

You take on certain responsibilities of The Other. 

If it'd been me who'd - not made it, Major Coolidge'd be talking right now to my son Jim. 

But the way it turned out, I'm talking to you. 

Butch. I got somethin' for ya. 

This watch I got here was first purchased by your great-grandfather during the first World War. 

It was bought in a little general store in Knoxville, Tennessee. 

[ It's a Pocket Watch mounted onto a wrist strap ]

Made by the first company to ever make wrist watches.

 Up 'til then, people just carried pocket watches. 

It was bought by Private Doughboy Erine Coolidge on the day he set sail for Paris. 

This was your great-grandfather's war watch and he wore it everyday he was in that war, and when he'd done his duty, he went home to your great-grandmother, took the watch off, put it in an old coffee can, and in that can it stayed until your granddad, Dane Coolidge, was called upon by his country to go overseas and fight the Germans once again. 

This time they called it World War II.

Your great-grandfather gave this watch to your granddad for good luck. 

Unfortunately,  
Dane's luck wasn't as good as his old man's

[ Hamlet ]

Dane was a Marine and he was killed -- along with all the other Marines at the battle of Wake Island. 

Your granddad was facing death. 
He knew it. 

None of those boys had any illusions about ever leavin' that island alive, so three days before the Japanese took the island, 
Your granddad asked a gunner on an Air Force transport, name of Winocki 

- a man he had never met before in his life

to deliver to his infant son who he'd never seen in the flesh
his gold watch. 

Three days later, your granddad was dead, 
but Winocki kept his word. 

After the war was over, he paid a visit to your grandmother, delivering to your infant father his dad's gold watch. 

This watch. 
[He holds the watch up] 

This watch was on your daddy's wrist when he was shot down over Hanoi.

 He was captured, put in a Vietnamese prison camp. 

He knew that if the gooks ever saw the watch, it'd be confiscated and taken away. 

The way your Dad looked at it, this watch was your birthright.

 He'd be damned if any slope's gonna put their greasy, yellow hands on his boy's birthright, so he hid it in one place he knew he could hide something - his ass. 

Five long years he wore this watch up his ass. 

And when, he died of dysentery, he gave me the watch. 

I hid this uncomfortable hunk of metal up my ass two years. 

Then, after seven years, I was sent home to my family.

 Now, little man, I give the watch to you.