The Elephant Man was on tv the other day.
I had never seen it, so I recorded it on our PVR.
It is a black and white 1980 film, starring Anthony Hopkins and John Hurt, that tells the basic tale of John Merrick (really Joseph Merrick) who was severely disfigured.
Today was a crash day for me, so I remained in bed the vast majority of the day. An intriguing film to curl up to with blankets and snacks was exactly the sort of night that I needed.
So, while lying in bed, pouting from my overall malaise that just will not let up, I huddled in for a movie night.
Almost instantly I felt guilty for feeling sorry for myself at all.
This man had such a difficult life. Far more than most. Not only that, but he was also living in a time when people like him were treated almost solely as circus 'freaks' and 'invalids'.
Every breath for him was laborious.
I am unsure of whether or not the film stayed relatively true to his life's story, but I truly hope that some specific sentiments were, in fact, his true words and/or thoughts.
There was a particular phrase that really touched me:
"I am happy, my friend. I am content. I am fulfilled, because I know that I am loved."
It's such a profound idea: that love really can make such a monumental difference between being miserable (and beaten) to being content - even in the most difficult of situations.
Love is a miracle in and of itself. Whether it is a friend, an animal companion, a child, a family member, a passion, a talent, faith, etc... feeling love can get you through anything. It may not fix anything, it may not even save someone, but love can offer something far greater that goes beyond our understanding.
I am grateful to have found love in various forms.
