August 9: You Lived On It, Create a Little Happiness, "The Lion King"

Ford has just learned the Hitchhiker's version of the Book of Genesis . . .

"So there you have it," said Slartibartfast, making a feeble and perfunctory attempt to clear away some of the appalling mess of his study.  He picked up a piece of paper from the top of a pile, but then couldn't think of anywhere else to put it, so he put it back on top of the original pile which promptly fell over.  "Deep Thought designed the Earth, we built it and you lived on it."

You know, there can be myriad explanations for everything, from the origin of the universe to the actual color of the wrapper for a grape Tootsie Pop.  (By the way, the answer to that last mystery is purple, in case you were in doubt.  A good number of you disciples out there may be laboring under the misconception that it is blue.  I will pray for you.)

Let me provide my explanation now of what I did this evening.  Some people may think I was being fiscally irresponsible.  Me?  I just decided to create a little happiness for myself.  I was facing an evening of solitude and brooding.  Instead, I took my daughter, her boyfriend, and my son to see the live-action version of The Lion King.  It was something that I had been kicking around all day in my head, but I didn't put it into action until I was on my way home from work.

So, at 5:30 p.m., I was on my way to the theater with my son and daughter laughing together, talking about a computer game they'd been sort of playing together earlier.  My daughter's boyfriend joined into the conversation, and we had a great 20-minute drive.

Then there was the film.  I'd forgotten how moving the story of The Lion King truly is.  It is Shakespearean in scope.  In fact, it borrows quite a bit from Hamlet.  And, the first frames of the movie, the first notes of that first song, I was hooked.  So way\s my son, who has never really experienced the story.  He was enthralled by it, right up to the end, when everything comes full circle.  It was kind of thrilling to watch the movie play out across his face.

After the show, we headed over to Michael's, which is a local craft store.  My daughter's boyfriend needed to buy paints for some fishing lures he's making.  We even had fun in Michael's, looking at the Halloween decorations that are already sitting near the front of the store.

Now, I sit here, typing this quick blog post before bedtime gets full underway with my son.  Tonight, happiness really was a choice I made.  It worked, with a little help from the Walt Disney Company.  I had a great night.

Saint Marty needs to be reminded every once in a while that he deserves to be joyful in the middle of the crap storm life throws at him.