I did it. I saw it. I experienced the end of an epic saga of
teen-paranormal romance that leaves my heart heavy and my inner 13-year-old
girl sobbing. But I loved it. And I want to share my philosophy on why it is totally ok that I loved it.
I saw every Twilight movie alone. Not wanting to admit to
anyone how much I needed (mind you, neeeeeeded)
to see this sparkly-angst-ridden drama unfold on screen, I would get in my car
and drive to the theatre in shameful solitude, get my popcorn and sit happily
in the middle of a deserted theatre (I usually waited until the hype died down
to indulge; much like binge-eating, I prefer to feed my dirty additions in secret).
This time was different—I went with one of my girlfriends
Hollie—the perfect person to watch this kind of movie with, because she sat
next to me in silence, enjoying her own private relationship with her own inner
13-year-old-girl, and we never spoke one word to one-another until the film was
over.
I will NOT spoil the
movie for you if you have not seen it. But I will say that there is God in
Twilight, and I will not waste my time trying to convince you if you are
reading my words and experiencing any sort of disdain or judgment in negation of
my statements. Because chances are, I lost you at “god”, and believe me—I
understand. But I feel compelled to explain my rationale, because in a world so constantly jaded with the Divine—in a world where good intentions and
the simplicity of life and love are often grossly misinterpreted, harshly
criticized, and scornfully dismissed as “pieces of shit”, I feel it’s my
purpose to stand up for guilty pleasures in order to dispel the bullshit of the
“guilt”. Guilt is experienced when one has committed an action with the intent
to harm. If going to see Twilight makes you feel at all “guilty”, please ask
yourself who you intend to hurt by feeding your inner-13-year-old-girl a
healthy dose of adolescent charm and fantasy?
Twilight is not a cinematic masterpiece in any way, shape or
form. And it is not intended to be. Stephanie Meyer is not the next
Pulitzer-prize winning author, and her story can easily be poked fun at and
dismissed as sophomoric fluff. But I am an intelligent, sensitive, artistic,
intellectual woman who can flirt with James Joyce and Ernest Hemingway just as
easily as I can flip through a People magazine. I can go toe-to-toe with the
sharpest minds in any subject, so long as I’ve had time to do a little
research, and my mercurially fluid grasp on words is just as profound as my
deftness with numbers. In a nutshell—I’m Smart. And I…Like…The Twilight Saga.
It reminds me of a time when I was not yet a woman, but my budding sense of
romance and passion was just starting to form in my chubby flat-chested body.
It reminds me of the mystery of being a virgin—the excitement of the prospect
of someday having a boyfriend and seeing that boyfriend turn into the great Love of
my Life—of living a reality where there was adventure; a
Greater Good to align myself with against the forces of Darkness; where I was a
warrior Princess fighting for the forces of Light, riding my unicorn bravely
against a sea of goblins, brandishing my crystal sword that sparked and crackled
with Faerie energy, cutting swaths of purple phantom streaks through the air
while casting clouds of electric butterflies in whatever direction I swirled.
Life has a nasty way of taking us away from our inner magic.
People mock you, laugh at you, scorn you, strike you, push you away, criticize
you, refuse you, and forget you. And somewhere along the way, you forgot the
inner Divinity that made you want to heal the world and bring love to your
fellow sentient beings. You forgot we’re all just children inside, aching
to be seen, innocent and pure. So be mindful when you are reaching for joy, and
someone near you is intent on shadowing that joy by picking apart those
creative ventures that are meant to inspire and excite. Not everything can be a
perfect expression of technical creative genius. And not everything has to be.
In nature, art can be as complicated as the intricate weaving of a spider’s web
or as simplistic as the color of the sky at dawn. Or twilight. Whichever moves
you more ;D
LMP Self-Love Suggestion: Perhaps hold your tongue the next
time you mean to speak out negatively against a creative endeavor you find
fault with. Unless you were a part of that creative team, your opinion is no one’s business but your own. Why discourage someone from finding
their own path toward the Divine? Why take on that responsibility? Perhaps then
your own path will clear a bit, and you will find it much easier to make your
way towards those things that cast great light in your soul, rather than be weighted
down by your fears of what reside in the darkness.
***
The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn Part 2 stars Kristen Stewart, Robert Pattinson and Taylor Lautner. Screenplay by Melissa Rosenberg. Directed by Bill Condon. Based on the novels by Stephanie Meyer. Released by Summit Entertainment.
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