I just saw Walk the Line. Fabulous! I cannot believe the actors used their real voice nor can I believe Joaquin Phoenix could hit all those low notes. Honestly, I think Reese Witherspoon’s voice is stronger than June Carter Cash’s was. Amazing movie! If you have not seen it, I strongly advise you to rent it immediately, if nothing else than for the music.
An odd thing happened to me in the movie theater, I realized I missed Arkansas. I don’t know, maybe the movie was just really good. There was a scene in which young Johnny is picking cotton and it made me homesick. Of course, I never picked cotton, but long dirt roads, rows of crops like cotton and fishing were definitely a large part of my childhood and early teen years.
Do you ever shake your childhood memories? Or your first real connections, connections formed before you even know to think about connections, the connections you never question because you were unaware they existed? If I lived in France, New York, St. Petersburg or Mexico City, would I ever not feel connected to the South? Would I ever be anything but a Southern living somewhere else besides the South? I never felt completely connected to the South when I lived there. I think that is one of the main reasons I decided to move to France, to find where I belong(ed), to find what or where I identified with. It is strange, I know there are many places in the world I would still like to see, and even live, but I know where home is. I feel like I have been gone eons and now I can think about and understand not only the South, but the history and culture without really knowing it, like it is in my marrow. I am part of it; it is a part of me. I feel it. I don’t know if I will return, but now I know where my roots are firmly buried. And it is nice to finally know that.
1 comment:
You're talking about roots. "It's a good thing." Thank you for writing about it! I've felt it in many forms and many, many times. When returning to your hometown or state (or country) and tear up, you know you have roots. The draw of where you were raised hopefully speaks to you in a way that nothing else can. Some people establish roots; some don't. Everybody's different. I can identify with you. All of your relatives should read what you wrote today. It's good for the heart....
Just reading "The Painted House" also gives me that feeling.
I'll make an effort to see "Walk the Line".
Thank you, Angela!
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