Over the last few weeks, the box office has been dominated by the latest iteration of a familiar hero saga- The Batman. It is difficult to even make a comparison to the original comic launched in 1939 when considering what the Batman franchise has now become. The new version is different in a myriad of ways but in a nutshell- it’s darker. Way darker. It is so dark in fact that the film’s director had to incorporate new camera technology so that the characters were even visible on screen.
Film as an art form has historically fallen in to one of two buckets. First, film is used to elevate the human experience. In this pursuit, movies show us picturesque examples of life in its most beautiful form. More recently, movies are intended to depict “real” life. Movies in this category hope to hold a mirror up to the world. The Batman appears to fall into that second tier of filmmaking. Rather than portray a superhero who embodies our noblest aspirations, Batman is revealed as a deeply flawed, deeply nuanced individual. It is a darker Batman than ever before.
Just as movies create a picture of world (either real or imagined), caregivers have that same opportunity to create a window for many of our clients. For a large portion of our clients, the aging process has robbed them of some of the familiar opportunities they once had to see and interact with the world around them. As caregivers, we get the privilege of helping to fill in some of those gaps. That privilege is also a huge responsibility.
Depending on where you look, the world around us can look like a fairly dark place. The war in Ukraine, historic monetary inflation, political divisions- can give the impression that all hope is lost. Some of the happiest people I know refuse to turn on the news anymore. But even in the midst of the darkness, there are still happy moments to share. There are still sunny days and beautiful stories. There are still love songs and flowers and spring days that feed our souls.
If I am given the privilege of painting a picture of the world for my clients, I will choose to paint a beautiful one. What will you put on your canvas?
Film as an art form has historically fallen in to one of two buckets. First, film is used to elevate the human experience. In this pursuit, movies show us picturesque examples of life in its most beautiful form. More recently, movies are intended to depict “real” life. Movies in this category hope to hold a mirror up to the world. The Batman appears to fall into that second tier of filmmaking. Rather than portray a superhero who embodies our noblest aspirations, Batman is revealed as a deeply flawed, deeply nuanced individual. It is a darker Batman than ever before.
Just as movies create a picture of world (either real or imagined), caregivers have that same opportunity to create a window for many of our clients. For a large portion of our clients, the aging process has robbed them of some of the familiar opportunities they once had to see and interact with the world around them. As caregivers, we get the privilege of helping to fill in some of those gaps. That privilege is also a huge responsibility.
Depending on where you look, the world around us can look like a fairly dark place. The war in Ukraine, historic monetary inflation, political divisions- can give the impression that all hope is lost. Some of the happiest people I know refuse to turn on the news anymore. But even in the midst of the darkness, there are still happy moments to share. There are still sunny days and beautiful stories. There are still love songs and flowers and spring days that feed our souls.
If I am given the privilege of painting a picture of the world for my clients, I will choose to paint a beautiful one. What will you put on your canvas?
