Special Effects

One of my favorite generational stories comes from years ago when my family visited for Thanksgiving and we went to the circus.  Five year old Tiffany was sitting on my lap as the performers made their entrance and paraded around the ring in the United Center.  As we watched elephants, horses, acrobats, and clowns, she looked at me and said, “Those are great special effects!”  It took a lot of convincing to help her understand that everything from the woman on the trapeze to the dancing bear was real. She sat enthralled for the next hour.

I saw Star Trek over the weekend and thought about how the mechanics of special effects has blossomed in my lifetime.  The first Star Trek series, or I Dream of Jeannie, or Bewitched were based on fantasy that was both fun but obvious. 

Today’s vampire, fairy tale, or even The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe stories coming to life on screen are sophisticated, enthralling, and more believable.  We’ve become so used to the spectacular in our entertainment that those stories that are probably the most challenging scenes to produce, direct, or film are those that are quiet and plain. 

Yesterday was Pentecost, a day in Christianity marking when the Holy Spirit arrived.  People standing next to each other suddenly started speaking in different languages. Believers could now share their story with others.  Part of the Spirit’s job is to connect us and what better way than through the ability to communicate? 

In today’s troubled world we need a connector more than ever.  We communicate frequently and globally, yet language remains a gr8 divider.  While there have always been barriers, it seems that even as we communicate more, the gaps in our ability to understand are increasing.  I’ve come to think that the greatest gift we might offer someone as we communicate is to engage in a dialogue where what we do is listen.  Truly listen to what is being said underneath all of the hoopla, codes, rants, capital letters, or even what is being said in the silence.  Like Spock, let’s have ears that are a special effect.

Marilyn