READ: Monday Matters – Who Cares? by Iyanla Vanzant

Editors Note – It is interesting to me that this particular post was actually submitted to us over a week ago. Since that time, Iyanla’s personal Facebook profile was hacked and the hackers also took over her Facebook page, removing all administrators from the page and using it to post malicious links. Iyanla’s grace far outlasts such heinous attacks and we at VividLife are personally amazed at how this post really applies to her situation. We hope that the person or persons responsible for this can read this and know and understand that there is hope for them to create something good in this world.

They live in Phoenix, Charlotte, Philadelphia, Atlanta, Detroit, the suburbs and every other major city, county and town. Some of them have a High School diplomas; others a GED. Some are struggling to complete High School. Many have lost all hope that it will happen. They all have telephones for which only a few pay the bill. Many of them, particularly the males, are experts at video games and texting. For fun, they love to smoke marijuana. To pass the time, they engage in unprotected sex.

Sometimes when they approach you, they seem quiet and unassuming but, on any given day, you can hear them coming from a mile away. They can be loud, are often foul mouthed and, if you look too long in their direction they might threaten to cut you – - or worse. At home they lie and they steal and they make you responsible for what they do and what they cannot do. Many want to be something; a rapper. Others want to do something; play basketball or appear on a reality show. Chances are you will not understand what they value – - money, sex and violence. You stare at them in disbelief. You listen to them with shock and awe. You wonder what happened to them and what will happen for them. Then, you remember, these are our children; 21st century teenagers who seem for some ungodly reason to be running amuck. What is wrong with the tree that the fruit has begun to rot?

Something has gone terribly wrong in our lives that have sent our children into a tailspin and, it seems that nobody cares. I don’t really mean nobody. Of course we care but, either we are so shocked, so afraid, so horrified, so powerless with guilt and fear that we are frozen in time and space trying to figure out what to do. In the meantime, while we try to gather our sense and come up with an action plan, our children are flunking out of school, having children, killing themselves and each other and creating a future in the world that is clearly apocalyptic. Parents and teachers seem powerless. Social agencies are overwhelmed. Mentors are few and scarce and quite frankly, many of us are just sacred of the people to whom we gave birth. I gave birth to and raised 3 children; most of the time I did this without the benefit of having a partner.

While it is true that things were not always peachy between my children and me, there were some things, certain behaviors they knew were unacceptable. This does not mean that they did not engage in these behaviors. It means that I did not know about it and/or they never got caught. Today my eldest offspring is 41years old. He has made some huge mistakes for which he paid dearly and, he has never spoken a foul word to me. He has said he would cut his hand off before he raised it in my direction. This is not the case in many household. Not sure how it happened or when it began that children give their parents a “beat down.” My youngest child is 37. She and I have had a very rocky and fractured relationship and still, she will acknowledge that she would not dare speak to me the way her sons speak to her. That’s right! I have two of the people described above in my own immediate family. No one is immune. We are all in this together.

Our children are in trouble! Is it because we, the adults, parent, care-givers had troubles, issues, problems that for so long went unaddressed that our children are now experiencing the trickle down of our dysfunction? Or, is it because the world in which we live has changed so much, so fast that what is required to address the needs of our children today is beyond our capacity to provide? Or, is it because we have buried our head in the sand believing they are responsible for what they are experiencing and that we have done all we can do? Or, is it that we are so caught up trying to keep the roofs over our heads that our children have simply become the casualties of the war of survival? Or, is it that we have given them so many things and so few values that they have become consumed with a spirit of entitlement, an attitude of defiance and a consciousness of f—it if you don’t like it? Or, is it that the chickens are simply coming home to roost? Meaning what we ignored, avoided, denied and dismissed in our own hearts and lives is now being visited upon our children? Who knows. Could be. Maybe. Maybe not. The bottom line is that our children are in trouble and their behavior, their failure, their acting out is not the cause. What we see them do is the effect of a much deeper issue.

I have two grandsons and it pains me to acknowledge that both of them are in deep trouble. I wish I could tell you that I know what to do, what to say and how to address the problem. I know their mother, my daughter, has done the best she knew to do and, it was not enough. It did not meet their needs. I know that neither of these young men has had the consistent influence and input of a father in their lives. I am sure they are angry about it. I am not sure they understand why. I do know they refuse to talk about it with their mother, me or a counselor. I know that I have probably given them more than I should have requiring little, if anything in return. I played the traditional grandmother role. Being with me was a fun time break away from mom. I know that what they learned in school has not, did not prepare them for the demands of the world in which we now live. They have big dreams, few skills and very little faith – - in themselves or their acceptance and place in the world. I know that I have, on more than one occasion, attempted to find resources, facilities and activities to support them, train them, teach them, to no avail. It seems that because they are not in “real” trouble yet, meaning they have committed no crime, have no children and have at least one committed parent and because there are so many like them who have no one, we cannot get any traction of assistance in what I know to be a mounting problem. I have to ask myself, who cares? Unless the young person presents a clear danger to themselves and others; who cares? There are so many of them and so few resources. Perhaps those who do care are so preoccupied with determining what happened and how it happened in order to stop it from continuing to happen that they cannot address what is happening.

What I know is that I care. I pray every day for my grandsons and all the other young people out there who are wondering, who cares? What I am calling for now is consistent, communal prayer and consistent communal action and consistent involvement in our schools and consistent parental support and education and consistent and caring mentoring and consistent self-awareness that leads to a deep level of personal growth that is shared with our youth. I am asking that we all care and find new ways to demonstrate it.

This Week’s Reading:

Our dream is our truth and our future and is ours to create.
And to do it, we must begin with a re-commitment to our
children—however old they may be or seem.
If we do not fight for them, stand up for them,
they will be rendered extinct. The prisons, the
homicides, the hateful policies tell us this daily.
 
It tells the story of the crisis our young people are in.
It tells the story of their lives.
It tells the story of our lives.
 
Let’s make #used2beme a trending topic on Twitter.
Please Tweet This…
“Follow @usedtwo2beme and help break the silence and stigma of depression and pain and personal crisis that is killing our precious children. #used2beme”

———————————————————————————————————————————————————————-
About Iyanla Vanzant:

Iyanla Vanzant is the best-selling author of five books on self-empowerment, personal growth and spiritual healing. As the founder and executive director of the Inner Visions Spiritual Life Maintenance Network, she conducts workshops, seminars and lectures nationally. Drawing from her own experiences of family dysfunction, abuse, and poverty, Iyanla encourages us all to look at ourselves, laugh at ourselves and then take the necessary steps to heal ourselves. Her practical message is based on the principles of universal law, self-determination and the power of Spirit. You can learn more about her work at www.innervisionsworldwide.com.

Iyanla has recently appeared several times during Oprah’s Lifeclass webcast segments. You can view the classes here: http://www.oprah.com/oprahs-lifeclass/oprahs-lifeclass.html

———————————————————————————————————————————————————————-

READ: ‘Margin Call’ dissects the financial meltdown with keen precision

“Margin Call” (2011). Cast: Zachary Quinto, Kevin Spacey, Paul Bettany, Jeremy Irons, Stanley Tucci, Demi Moore, Mary McDonnell, Simon Baker, Penn Badgley, Aasif Mandvi. Director: J.C. Chandor. Screenplay: J.C. Chandor. http://margincallmovie.com/

The economy has been on everyone’s mind for several years now, and many have justifiably pondered how we got ourselves into this mess. But, as is becoming increasingly clear, the causes go beyond economics, having as much to do with human nature and what we create as it does with money. These questions are examined in meticulous detail in the Wall Street drama, “Margin Call,” now available on DVD.

In 2008, with the economy on the brink of a largely unforeseen meltdown, Peter Sullivan (Zachary Quinto), a junior financial risk analyst for a major investment bank, unwittingly makes an ominous discovery that has staggering implications for his company. Having been assigned the risk analysis work of his recently laid-off senior colleague, Eric Dale (Stanley Tucci), Peter concludes that the firm is overextended and on the verge of collapse. Upon making this discovery, Peter calls in the firm’s higher-ups (Paul Bettany, Kevin Spacey, Simon Baker, Demi Moore, Jeremy Irons), who concur with his findings and begin assessing what to do (and who to blame). Management is ultimately faced with making some difficult choices, namely, (1) taking drastic measures to save the company, even if that potentially means shafting investors and staff in the process, or (2) failure. Over the course of the next day, the powers-that-be debate the options of how to proceed – and how to live with their decisions. This becomes especially difficult, too, when the one person they need most to help sort out matters – Eric Dale – is nowhere to be found.

The economic crisis of the past several years (and its prelude, as presented in this film) is a prime example of what conscious creation practitioners call a “mass event,” one in which each of us contributes to its manifestation. And, in scenarios like this, as Shakespeare observed, we each play our respective parts on the global stage, fleshing out the probabilities we have each chosen to examine as part of our exploration into physical existence. We each choose to delve into different aspects of that grand drama; some of us look at “success” and others probe “failure,” some of us examine the ethics of our actions and others disregard them completely, some of us consider the well-being of everyone while others only look out for themselves, and we all do this within the context of a bigger picture that deals with a common theme.

To that end, “Margin Call” does an excellent job of depicting the foregoing as it applies to the world of finance (and its impact on all other areas of life). The audience is presented with all points of view, treating them more or less equally, without judgment, showing that each has its own degree of legitimacy, whether or not one would personally agree (or disagree) with any particular outlook. While it’s clear that director J.C. Chandor has a viewpoint of his own in telling this story, he’s also very careful to present everyone’s outlook fairly, showing the inherent validity of each of those views, regardless of whether he (or others) are likely to dispute them, for understanding the thinking behind those differences in outlooks is crucial if we ever hope to reconcile them.

These viewpoints are reflected in the personas of the key players, providing the audience with symbolic representations of the various lines of probability each chooses to explore. For example, for Peter’s boss, Sam Rogers (Spacey), the ethical implications of how the company plans to resolve its problems are almost more than he can handle. At the same time, for Sam’s boss, John Tuld (Irons), doing whatever is “necessary” is seen merely as part of what it takes to survive in the market – and what anyone (or any entity) concerned with its continued viability would do if its existence were threatened. As for Peter, who stumbles upon the issue triggering the crisis, it’s one thing to be shocked at the ramifications of what’s about to unfold, but that doesn’t mean one’s outrage can’t be set aside when personal survival is on the line, an attitude that he quietly maintains but isn’t afraid to tap when the need arises.

Tied up in this are several other significant conscious creation themes, such as the principle I refer to as “un-conscious creation” or “creation by default,” wherein the manifestation process is allowed to unfold without any sense of personal awareness and/or without any concern for the consequences. For instance, it’s apparent on a number of occasions that those at the highest ranks of management, such as Jared Cohen (Baker) and Tuld, have little understanding of what’s really going on. They often request that technical explanations of what’s transpiring be put into “plain English,” clearly revealing their incompetence about the areas over which they’re supposed to have oversight. That’s a scary prospect to consider, especially if the lack of economic expertise in the management of just this one fictional firm is any indication of what prevails in the real-world financial marketplace. Indeed, if this depiction is accurate, it really shouldn’t come as any surprise why the financial industry is in the mess it’s in. With economic creation by default allowed to run amok, chaos shouldn’t be seen as an unexpected result.

So why did things go so terribly wrong? In large part, it seems that the firm placed too much reliance on exotic financial formulas, letting the numbers do the work, rather than requiring engaged human beings to be personally involved in the wealth creation process. However, when the numbers are left to their own devices and don’t perform as expected, trouble ensues. Dale apparently tried warning management of this problem before his dismissal and before the issue got out of hand, but, since they either didn’t understand the explanations (see above) or were too unconcerned to pay attention to them, the warnings went unheeded. This thus points to another intrinsic quality of creation by default, the abrogation of responsibility. And that’s significant, for without the tempering influence of responsibility, conscious creation can get out of hand. It’s like a garden hose turned on full blast with no one gripping the nozzle; the outflow sprays all over everything, making a mess of all it touches.

Of course, when things go wrong like this, practitioners of un-conscious creation naturally look for scapegoats, and that’s certainly the case here. The top brass certainly has no intention of taking the fall, so they proceed to review the list of vulnerable candidates. Dale probably would have made the “ideal” choice, but since he’s already been let go, someone else needs to take the hit. Fellow analyst Sarah Robertson (Moore) seems like a possible candidate, given that she didn’t see the problem coming, as does Cohen, mainly because he’s caught in the middle, and that’s always a good place to cut when financial straits become dire. Or perhaps both of them should go; after all, they’re both pointing fingers at one another, which makes it plausible that they each may have had a role in the onset of this catastrophe. No matter how things shake out, though, this is more evidence of the abrogation of responsibility and creation by default allowed to run out of control.

The most damaging fallout from all this, though, is on those who didn’t see any of this coming, namely, the investors and the firm’s employees. Those who had the least involvement in the creation process bear the greatest brunt in terms of financial losses and pink slips. This illustrates the inherent connectedness involved in the conscious creation process, something we should all bear in mind as we go about manifesting the reality around us. Even if it seems like our participation in the process is limited, we’re nevertheless still part of it, just by virtue of our inherent connectedness to the overall whole. We might not be the ones holding the nozzle of the garden hose, but that doesn’t mean we still can’t get wet from it.

So must we settle for these circumstances? Or can we create something different? In one of his more impassioned observations, Tuld “explains things” to Sam: “It’s just money; it’s made up. Pieces of paper with pictures on it so we don’t have to kill each other just to get something to eat. It’s not wrong. And it’s certainly no different today than it’s ever been. … And you and I can’t control it, or stop it, or even slow it. Or even ever so slightly alter it. We just react. And we make a lot of money if we get it right. And we get left by the side of the road if we get it wrong. … Yeah, there may be more of us today than there’s ever been. But the percentages – they stay exactly the same.”

But this viewpoint speaks to a mindset that is increasingly losing support. With the rise of activist movements like Occupy Wall Street, things do seem different this time. It seems there’s a possibility for real change going forward, especially now that more people have become wise to what has been going on all along and are employing a heightened sense of awareness to the manifestation process. Even though Tuld and his real-world peers may have believed that the downturn that began in 2008 would be no different from those that periodically occurred as far back as 1637, they hadn’t counted on a change in the mass consciousness in proclaiming their assessments, and that component just might make the difference this time. After all, as Albert Einstein observed, “We can’t solve problems by using the same kind of thinking we used when we created them,” but now that new thinking is entering the equation, those who have been stumping for the status quo just might find themselves surprised this time, and in large part thanks to conscious creation.

“Margin Call” didn’t draw much attention when it was first released last fall, but its profile has risen of late with several award nominations, including an Academy Award nod for best original screenplay and Independent Spirit Award nominations for best first feature and best first screenplay, as well as the ISA Robert Altman Award for best casting and performing ensemble. Filmmaker J.C. Chandor has done an excellent job writing and directing this debut release, getting great performances out of each of his cast members. The script has a slight tendency to get talky at times, but its detail, balance and authenticity save the day, taking a complicated and potentially dry subject and making it engaging.

Mark Twain noted that history seldom repeats itself, but it often rhymes, an observation especially applicable in the world of finances. This likely has more to do with what we create than with the forces of the market, something of which we’re beginning to become increasingly aware. Movies like “Margin Call” help to alert us to these conditions, and one can only hope that we heed its message to truly make a difference, not only in what we reap, but also in what we sow.

Copyright © 2012, by Brent Marchant. All rights reserved.

 

Technorati Tags: “Margin Call”, Academy Award, activist movement, Albert Einstein, Brent Marchant, collapse, connectedness, conscious creation, creation by default, Demi Moore, DVD, economics, Ethics, existence, exotic financial formula, failure, Film, financial risk analyst, garden hose, human nature, incompetence, Independent Spirit Award, investment bank, investor, J.C. Chandor, Jeremy Irons, judgment, Kevin Spacey, lines of probability, Mark Twain, Mary McDonnell, mass consciousness, mass event, meltdown, movie, Occupy Wall Street, Paul Bettany, pink slip, plain English, powers-that-be, responsibility, Robert Altman, scapegoat, Shakespeare, Simon Baker, Stanley Tucci, Success, The economy, the market, the numbers, top brass, un-conscious creation, Wall Street, wealth creation, well being, Zachary Quinto

READ: Healthy and Tasty Memphis Eats by Carolyn Scott-Hamilton

Memphis, the birthplace of rock n’ roll, home to Elvis and famed Beale Street, this music city right on the banks of the Mississippi River. Known for it’s bbq, I was beyond delighted with incredible food that was abound for a little ol’ vegan. The city is rich with history and boasts some famous folks but now, it’s quickly becoming a hub for great special diet culinary finds!

Graceland is synonymous with Memphis. Home of the late great rock n’ roller, Elvis Presley, it is THE place to see when in town. Touring the king’s home, airplanes and various gift shop/museums, whether you’re a fan or not, it’s impossible to not see him in a whole new light. This Memphis boy did right by his city and they are loving him as much now as they ever did.

Another important stop on a Memphis tour is the National Civil Rights Museum at the site of the Lorraine Hotel. The very spot where Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. took his last breath is memorialized in a beautiful, poignant and heart wrenching museum. The hotel’s facade still remains however the building has become a labyrinth of exhibits on the civil rights movement in America, all culminating with the room that Dr. King spent the last minutes of his life. The entire museum is well done and so moving that it is impossible to leave with dry eyes.

And now for the food!

Let’s begin by highlighting the only fully vegan restaurant in town, Imagine Vegan Cafe. Located in the hip Cooper Young district, this fun diner has got everything a vegan comfort food joint should have. And I mean everything! Their menu is giant and everything on it rocks. Being in the south, I had to have their “pulled pork” bbq sandwich with hush puppies. Yumm!! Oh, and I split the spinach artichoke dip with some buddies, heaven!!

One of the prettiest places I’ve ever had the good fortune to dine at is The Majestic Grille. What was once a silent movie theater back in 1913, just off the main trolley tracks, is now a chic and classy restaurant that is a  must visit. Playing old films and vintage cartoons, the menu is just as cool as the location. And cooler yet are their plentiful vegan dishes! Try their homemade veggie burger or their delicious veggie flatbread with caramelized onion base. Ooh la la! And their Bloody Marys and Mimosas are not to be missed either at brunch or dinner!

Now, you’re in for a treat. DejaVu is a New Orleans Creole and soul food restaurant that specializes in vegetarian and vegan fare! Chef Gary is not only one of the most fun people you will ever meet but he will treat you right in his place. Always packed to gills, customers are more then happy to squeeze in with perfect strangers to enjoy a meal at DejaVu. Chef whipped me up a fabulous creole pasta full of veggies along with plantains, veggie rolls, carrot cake and banana nut bread. Everything looked so good but I only have 1 stomach so I’ll be sure to come right back to visit Chef Gary at DejaVu next time I’m in town. And you should too!

College kids are so progressive so you are sure to find health conscious dishes nearby. RP Tracks is exactly that kind of place. A fun college bar, complete with pool tables and darts as well as vegan options. Famous for their bbq tofu, they can sub it for basically anything. I shared the bbq tofu nachos and the bbq tofu burrito loved every bite!

Are you “All Shook Up” about Memphis? If so, join me next week because there is more to come! Thank you…thank you very much!

Technorati Tags: Civil rights museum, DejaVu, dining, Elvis Presley, food, gluten free, Graceland, healthy, Imagine vegan cafe, Majestic Grill, Martin Luther king jr., Memphis, restaurants, RP tracks, tenneesee, travel, vegan, Vegetarian

LISTEN: Arielle Ford ~ Wabi Sabi Love, Finding Perfect Love in Imperfect Relationships

VividLife Radio’s Ed and Deb Shapiro welcome Arielle Ford, prominent book publicist, international best selling author and leader in the field of consciousness along with her husband Brain Hilliard to discuss her new book best selling book Wabi Sabi Love: The Ancient Art of Finding Perfect Love in Imperfect Relationships  which includes stories from Barack and Michelle Obama, Arielle is a gifted writer and the author of eight books including the international bestseller, THE SOULMATE SECRET: Manifest The Love of Your Life With The Law of Attraction.

Her stellar career includes years as a prominent book publicist, author, literary agent, TV lifestyle reporter, television producer, Sirius radio host, publishing consultant, relationship expert, speaker, columnist and blogger for the Huffington Post. www.arielleford.com

She has been called “The Cupid of Consciousness” and “The Fairy Godmother of Love” and believes that with a simple Wabi Sabi shift in perception, couples can discover the beauty and perfection in themselves and their partners leading to a deeper, more loving and more fulfilling relationship.

As the president of The Ford Group, Arielle was widely recognized as America’s foremost book publicist and was instrumental in launching the careers of many NY Times bestselling self-help authors including Deepak Chopra, Jack Canfield, Mark Victor Hansen, Neale Donald Walsch, and Debbie Ford.  Arielle was the publicist for dozens of other top selling authors such as Wayne Dyer, Gary Zukav, Dean Ornish, Joan Borysenko, Louise Hay, Jorge Cruise, and don Miguel Ruiz.

She is one of the founding partners of the Spiritual Cinema Circle, a subscriber-based monthly DVD club dedicated to providing movies about love and compassion. She was responsible for the rapid growth of this company that has now been acquired by Gaiam, Inc.

Arielle is the creator of the at-home publishing study course Everything You Should Know About Publishing, Publicity and Building A Platform www.everythingyoushouldknow.com  and the annual 21st Century Book Marketing Event which is the premiere book-marketing event for authors.www.21stcenturybookmarketing.com

She lives in La Jolla, CA with her husband/soulmate, Brian Hilliard and their feline friends.

http://www.wabisabilove.com/

Listen to more VividLife Radio on demmand:

Robert Thurman ~ The Way to Peace

VividLife Radio hosts Ed and Deb Shapiro welcome  Robert Thurman, Jey Tsong Khapa Professor of Indo-Tibetan Buddhist Studies in the Department of Religion at Columbia University, and co-founder and President of Tibet House US  to discuss The Way Peace, Robert Thurman is personal friend and first American to be ordained a monk by the Dalai Lama and father to Hollywood superstar Uma Thurman

Technorati Tags: Arielle Ford, inspiration, love, Michelle and Barack Obama, Personal Growth, Relationships. Marriage, self actualization, vivid life, Wabi Sabi Love

READ: Dreams, preconceptions, identity under review in ‘Albert Nobbs’ by Brent Marchant

“Albert Nobbs” (2012). Cast: Glenn Close, Janet McTeer, Mia Wasikowska, Aaron Johnson, Pauline Collins, Brenda Fricker, Brendan Gleeson, John Rhys Meyers, Bronagh Gallagher, Mark Williams, James Greene, Antonia Campbell-Hughes, Maria Doyle Kennedy. Director: Rodrigo Garcia. Screenplay: Glenn Close, John Banville and Gabriella Prekop. Story: George Moore. www.albertnobbs-themovie.com/#

We all have dreams for ourselves in life. Many of us also probably have some pretty well-defined preconceptions about how those dreams – and our lives in general – are supposed to play out. But then sometimes we also get surprised at what we’re presented with when those aspirations manifest, particularly in terms of the impact they have on the identities we hold of ourselves. These are among the many themes that come up for review in the thought-provoking new drama, “Albert Nobbs.”

Hotel waiter Albert Nobbs (Glenn Close) is an oft-described strange little man. But then that’s probably because he’s not a man at all. Rather, Albert is a middle-aged woman who, because of the need to fend for herself financially, has been intentionally disguising herself as a member of the opposite sex since she was 14. And, thanks to her ability to successfully pull off this ruse, Albert has managed to set aside a tidy nest egg while working as part of the wait staff at Dublin’s Morrison’s Hotel. It’s a perfect place for her to work, too; the pay and perks are good, and the place holds so many deceptions of its own that it provides ample, discreet coverage for her own secret.

By focusing on her financial security, though, Albert has paid little attention to her personal life, particularly where romance is concerned. Also, she’s become so adept at passing herself off as a man that she has, for all practical purposes, come to regard herself as one. But, were the truth of things to come out, she’d face certain ostracism from conservative 1890s Irish society.

All that changes, however, when the hotel’s owner, Mrs. Baker (Pauline Collins), hires a painter, Hubert Page, to do some work at her establishment. She gives Hubert permission to share Albert’s quarters while doing the work, a prospect that causes Albert considerable consternation. The strange little man quietly struggles to hide her anxiety, but that uneasy trepidation quickly turns to outright panic when Hubert discovers her roommate’s true identity. Albert is terrified about the ramifications of this unplanned revelation – that is, until she realizes that she and Hubert (Janet McTeer) share the same secret.

Albert and Hubert become friends, spending time and sharing personal confidences with one another. Albert is particularly intrigued by Hubert’s description of the happy life she’s built with a loving wife, Cathleen (Bronagh Gallagher). Suddenly, Albert is able to picture a whole new life for herself, too. She envisions using her savings to buy a tobacconist’s shop, one that has an adjacent living area that would be ideal to share with a bride. Hubert encourages Albert to follow her dreams and seek the same kind of happiness that she has found, even going so far as to suggest that Albert pursue a relationship with the lovely young Helen Dawes (Mia Wasikowska), one of the hotel’s flirtatious chamber maids. Albert, who has had her eye on Helen for some time, concurs and decides to initiate the courting process.

Of course, wooing the object of her affection poses two challenges to Albert: (1) can she compete with her main rival, Joe Mackens (Aaron Johnson), the hotel’s strapping young handyman, who clearly has his sights set on Helen?; and (2) how does she break the news of her true gender status to Helen? Albert steps into uncharted territory in considering these possibilities, and she wonders how to proceed. Hubert is able to provide some guidance, but Albert is largely on her own in this endeavor, a path that has many potential rewards – and pitfalls.

Albert’s proficiency in envisioning possibilities makes her a highly competent conscious creator. Once inspired, she’s able to picture, with remarkable clarity, what she wants to achieve. But then that shouldn’t come as any surprise, since she’s been doing just that for quite a long time. When faced with having to support herself at a young age, Albert learned of an opportunity to work as a waiter at a Masons’ hall. She believed she was capable of handling the job, and, despite the obvious risks, she pursued it, successfully landing the position. The experience she earned in that job allowed her to obtain work later on in fine dining establishments in places like Manchester and London, putting her on firm footing when she decided to seek a position in Dublin.

Having successfully tackled the challenges in her work life, as well as accumulating a respectable degree of savings, Albert has positioned herself well to take on the challenges of reshaping her personal life. And now that she’s witnessed the happiness that Hubert has successfully attained, Albert believes that she can create that for herself as well. But, given that she’s on unfamiliar turf, Albert’s not sure how to proceed. Doubt begins creeping into her thoughts, and since doubt is one of the forces that can undercut the conscious creation process, Albert is potentially setting herself up for disappointment by allowing this. She even seems to recognize the impact that this is having on her plans, so she unwittingly attempts to compensate for it by micromanaging her materialization efforts, causing her increased levels of aggravation and even more doubt. Under these circumstances, she would have fared far better by putting out her intents to the Universe – her divine conscious creation collaborator – and allowing it to bring forth the conditions that allow her to realize her goals rather than trying to discern the specifics of how it should happen all on her own. By doing this, she runs the risk of working against herself, creating frustration that further undermines her efforts and ultimately brings her no closer to her desired objectives.

Through her experiences, Albert must come to terms with the fact that the fulfillment of our goals doesn’t always follow the prescribed forms that we envision, even if the essence of what we desire is eventually achieved. In circumstances like these, we may not even be aware that an objective has fundamentally been met until well after the fact or until someone points it out to us, mainly because we’re so focused on the outcome conforming to predetermined parameters that we can’t see the result for what it inherently is. This, essentially, becomes a case of the proverbial inability to see the forest for the trees, a practice that I call semi-conscious creation. Indeed, things might not always seem to be what they genuinely are (something that the protagonist should already be well-acquainted with), and, when we’re confronted with such conditions, they sometimes bring hard lessons, teachings that serve as cautionary tales for us all.

The impact of all of the foregoing can be considerable, especially when it comes to our perceptions of our own identities. We may well be more than the limited selves we see ourselves as, a notion that can have far-reaching implications. The title character comes to see this for herself, allowing her to move beyond who she believes herself to be, and in myriad ways at that. And, even if envisioned outcomes don’t always match preconceptions and/or result in full-fledged fruition, at least having the ability to view ourselves in expanded ways enables us to experience developments in our consciousness and personal growth that exceed previously constrained expectations.

The marketing campaign behind “Albert Nobbs” makes it look like fare suitable primarily for those keen on Masterpiece Theatre and pithy high-brow stage dramas. However, the picture is remarkably more “accessible” than that, an engaging offering for moviegoers other than those who wear tweed suits 24/7. It’s a heartfelt drama with a wealth of colorful characters in a wonderful period piece setting, with fine Oscar-nominated performances by Close and, especially, McTeer. The sound quality could definitely be better at times, though, especially when the players turn up the brogue factor, so sit close to the screen if the theater at which you’re viewing it has an audio system that leaves something to be desired.

The picture has been earning its share of awards season nominations, though it has yet to take home any hardware. In addition to its Oscar nods for Close and McTeer, the film has also been nominated in the Academy’s makeup category, a distinction it also earned in the Critics Choice Awards competition. Close and McTeer have also received their share of honors in other contests, with Close receiving Golden Globe and Screen Actors Guild Award nominations and McTeer earning accolades in the Golden Globe, Screen Actors Guild and Independent Spirit Award contests. The film was also honored with a Golden Globe nod for its best original song, “Lay Your Head Down,” a lovely, lyrical piece composed by Brian Byrne (music) and Close (words) and sung by Sinéad O’Connor.

I was especially taken with two quotes from this film. As Albert’s colleague, Dr. Holloran (Brendan Gleeson), the hotel’s resident physician, observes in a scene at a costume ball, “We’re all disguised as ourselves.” It’s a point that, arguably, has some merit, though, to me, it suggests a desire to hide, one that goes against our true nature. In that regard, I was actually more heartened by one of Hubert’s observations: “You don’t have to be anything but what you are.” It’s a statement that speaks to the core themes explored in this film – and, I would hope, to the core of our being as well.

Copyright © 2012, by Brent Marchant. All rights reserved.

 

 

 

Technorati Tags: "Albert Nobbs", "Lay Your Head Down", 1890s, Aaron Johnson, aspirations, Brenda Fricker, Brendan Gleeson, Brent Marchant, brogue, chamber maid, conscious creation, Critics Choice Award, deception, disappointment, disguise, doubt, dreams, Dublin, envisioning, Film, gender, Glenn Close, Golden Globe, handyman, Happiness, identity, Independent Spirit Award, Irish society, Janet McTeer, John Rhys Meyers, limited selves, London, Manchester, Masons, Masterpiece Theatre, Mia Wasikowska, Movies, nest egg, Oscar, ostracism, Pauline Collins, period piece, pitfalls, preconceptions, rewards, risk, Rodrigo Garcia, ruse, savings, Screen Actors Guild Award, secret, semi-conscious creation, Sinéad O’Connor, strange little man, tobacconist's shop, universe, waiter

Next Page »