he’s dying … does that mean he gets a pass?
He’s dying, is a line from the movie Kodachrome – film on Netflix. The line implies that even through he was a difficult person you should put that aside and spend time with him.
If family relationships weren’t so challenging, and if we didn’t have such a difficult time talking about and preparing for death, spending time with a dying family member might not be a big ask. Sadly, however, they are, and we do. In Kodachrome, Matt Ryder reluctantly drives his dying father, to whom Matt hasn’t spoken in ten years, across the country to the last photo shop in America that can still process the father’s decades-old rolls of undeveloped Kodachrome film.
“Compassion becomes real when we recognize our shared humanity” – Pema Chodron
Being stuck with the pain of not having the relationship you wanted may keep you from being in the relationship that’s available. We get to choose.
The set-up from Wikipedia – Matt Ryder is an A&R representative at a record label who is in danger of losing his job after his company’s biggest client signs with another label. His father’s assistant and nurse Zooey Kern arrives at his office and informs him that his father Ben, a famous photographer, is terminally ill. Though they have not spoken in over ten years, Ben has requested that Matt drive him to Dwayne’s Photo in Parsons, Kansas, the last shop that still develops Kodachrome film. Ben has several undeveloped rolls he wants to have processed before he dies, and Dwayne’s will stop in the near future because Kodak no longer makes the required dyes.
I Saw You in the Water a line in the song Cringe by Matt Maeson
I first heard Cringe – stripped version by Matt Maeson, it was on the radio – haven’t heard on the radio since, it has now been months. I searched the song online and found it on YouTube. As I was listening, I scrolled down to the comments – it was very heartbreaking to read what people had to say, they were moved enough to share and wanted to discuss.
I said just tired and she said you’re just tired, leaves the listener thinking that “she said” high and not tired and I heard fine so…
The line Don’t I make you cringe seems to be a bit confessional and also realizing that life can bring us to our knees.
Also the line I saw you in the water, seems to be a topic discussion – “what does it mean.” It can mean a variety of things, depending who’s listening so maybe it can be a simple as water heals.
When art comes from pain we have an opportunity to open up a little more. To be able to sit with the pain takes practice and it seems that’s why we need to keep listening, reading and telling stories so that the pain may dissipate even if it’s just for a bit.