"What has mood to do with it? You fight [write] when the necessity arises—no matter the mood! Mood's a thing for cattle or making love or playing the baliset. It's not for fighting [writing]."
~ Gurney Halleck, Dune
Apologies to Gurney Halleck and to my readers (all six of them). Yes, I used this quote before, and for the same purpose, but I cannot help myself. Certain quotes just pop into my head when I hear specific words, no matter the context. Mood is one of those words, and this is the corresponding quote (with the necessary insertions to shift its meaning for tonight's topic).
And, if you have been reading this blog carefully since the beginning, you will remember I used this quote to introduce a post that I had written on a night when I was not in the mood.
Well, this is another such night.
(I did not draw this picture. Explain the image in the post.)
Tonight, I had planned to expand on a subtle comment I had made in last week's post. My series of migraines and the decision to see a doctor about them had stirred some shadowy corners of my mind. In addition, my experience during the subsequent office visit inspired a few critical thoughts concerning our healthcare system. Therefore, I was hoping to bare it all by writing it out this afternoon.
However, I was not in the mood to write about it or to share it. At least not yet. Dissecting and expressing some of the introspection that transpired as I waited out the six days between making an appointment and going in to see the doctor requires more time than a single Sunday afternoon. So, I am going to table it for tonight, and share something I consider a bit more pleasant and lighthearted.
A good friend's daughter presented me with a drawing she had made of a favorite anime character of mine. And seeing it reminded me why I enjoy watching this particular character. His name is Pazu and he is from Studio Ghibli's Castle in the Sky. It is a good, fun, and beautifully animated film. Great for a family to watch. He is a brave, determined thirteen-year-old orphaned boy who gets things done. Through his hard work and kindness he has earned the respect of the adults in his community. Most importantly, when he finds a lost girl who has amnesia, he does not hesitate to assist her in finding out her true identity. Even if it means facing death.
Finally, and this may sound crazy, but I love his outfit, especially his hat.
(I once considered dressing up like him for Halloween. Oh, and did I mention I discovered the movie in my mid thirties?)
Thinking about all these things as I looked at the drawing me of a post I had written about Charlie Brown, that lovable blockhead from the Peanuts comics. Back then I had explained how I considered him to be my spirit cartoon character. Well I guess I consider Pazu to be my Patronus, if the spell required the subject to be an animated character. He is good, courageous, and selfless. And hopeful. While he may display a naive optimism, it is not insufferable, but rather admirable and inspiring. And there is not a hint of self-righteousness in his bones.
While it has become popular in this day and age to have heroes who are broken, lost, and defeated, who dabble in gray areas of morality and ethics, some times it is nice to find a simple, humble version. One who cares deeply for a lost girl. And is not afraid to leap into the unknown to save her.
There is a place for dark, disturbing stories of struggling heroes who fail more often then they succeed. But for this evening, and maybe even this past week, it is nice to dream of love, kindness, and friendship conquering all, of villains succumbing to their own hubris, and of a hope regained. Even if that hope requires working together with a band of thieving brothers led by an eccentric mother, and letting go of a fabled past steeped in technological achievements (seriously, watch the movie).
When the light fades and the shadows creep into view, fueling anxieties and fears, it is comforting to know that I can cast out a warm, bright light (inspired by an animated character) to break some of the stifling despair in the world.
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