Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind

OK, I admit I am late to the party on this movie. I always intended on watching it. But for whatever reason I just never sat down long enough to get into this movie. I didn't even know what it was about...just thought the name of the film was kind of cool.

Also, Jim Carrey in serious roles tend to bug me. He's an excellent actor, that's not the issue. I just like him being funny.

So, I finally sat down and watched most of this film. It has a way of dragging me in. I didn't watch the whole movie, only bits and pieces, but I think I know what message it sends. If you were in a relationship, broke up and just could not deal with the pain of that relationship ending, what would you do? If someone had a procedure that could wipe away that memory and pain, would you take it? That's a profound question.

I've had several relationships over my lifetime, some good, some bad, but ALL have contributed to the person I am now. Take one or two away (along with the pain) and I would be a different person. Since I like who I am (for the most part) that makes it hard to say 'yes' to erasing any unhappy memories. However, that decision is with 20/20 hindsight.

At the time of pain, heartache and severe sadness, I can't say I wouldn't erase the cause of that pain. When a person is that sad, like Jim Carrey's character in the film, you just want that pain gone and if the memory has to go also, so be it.

A scene in the film that really caught my attention was when Carrey runs into his former girl and she behaves as if she doesn't know him. That's because she opted to erase HIM first. I think that would be more painful than the memory; running into that person and they don't remember you. I don't mean they -pretend- to not know you...they REALLY don't know you.

This movie provokes a lot of emotion if you are coming out of a very emotional relationship. It made me think...and it's depicted in the film...if I could erase that bad relationship, re-meet that person and start over again, would I opt for that? I honestly can't answer that question about any past relationship. I think they all ended for whatever reason and it's best to NOT go back. However, I also remember how much passion, excitement and fun I had at the beginning. To re-live that may be worth another go.

Judgments

I guess people could describe my blogging as 'sporadic' but it's not because I have nothing to say. I have tons of thoughts and opinions...taking time to sit and write them takes commitment, which I tend to lack upon occasion.

But, there are times when things catch my interest and I just have to comment. The thing catching my interest lately is how people judge one another...especially on trivial matters.

Putting things into context...at my job there are a couple younger women I speak with. Both are black and a bit darker than myself. One has a young daughter, the other has a degree in criminal justice. From that description, you can probably guess who has the issue with judging people all the time. Yes, Ms. Criminal Justice!

I was sitting with them both, let's call them 'S' and 'Ms. CJ'.
S began talking about her daughter. Like a proud parent, I had to talk about my son (the light of my life). I have pictures in my wallet of my son too. I showed the photos and Ms. CJ immediately said, "Is he white?" S said he was absolutely too cute!

To look at the two, one would assume that S would have the skin color prejudice being a single mom from the ghetto while Ms. CJ, supposedly educated with her college diploma, would be more open-minded. There reactions blew away my presumptions!

Well, it's not a secret in my family that my son's dad is a white man. It's not considered a huge deal...unless for the past 11 years people have been putting up a front when I walk into a room. However, it wasn't just the question that put me off...it was the expression on Ms. CJ's face. It was a look of disgust. I found out a couple days later that she thinks white men are all unattractive. She admitted she has never seen an attractive white man.

That is one of the most racist things I've ever heard. How can an entire race of people be unattractive? There is beauty in everyone.

Besides not finding whites attractive, I could see the judgment creeping across Ms. CJ's face...it was there...just like a screen scroll across her forehead. She was judging me as less than herself because I not only slept with a white man, I actually married him and had a 'high yellow' baby.

I just think...how limiting is that attitude!? She is a sad, judgmental individual. It shouldn't matter to her who I sleep with. She doesn't have to be with him so why care, why judge? Learn to accept others as they are with out judgment.