Yesterday I saw Les Misérables. This is my guilty pleasure. I love the musical. I have always loved it. Loved Anne Hathaway and Hugh Jackman and their vulnerability. I loved that they let themselves look like (or be covered in) shit. That’s an actor!
Today’s prompt is:
Tell us about a guilty pleasure that you hate to love.
I hate to love the movies, but they are my therapy.
They take me away. In the last month, I have seen a couple of awesome French films, Amour and Rust and Bone. And now Les Mis, which is set in Paris. The city is moody and dark, yet it is the city of light. This year we need a lot of light.
I’ve wanted to go to Paris for years. I have friends there and a place to stay, but I feel it’s too far or too expensive. With Chris’s illness, I feel I should only travel close to home and only for a few days.
When I go to the movies, I go to Paris and am still home in time to greet the kids as they walk in the door after school.
The life lessons in Les Mis are brilliant:
- To love another person is to see the face of God
- Show faith in and forgive people cast off by society just as the priest forgave the thief Valjean, played by Jackman
- Let your children love and let them go. This song, “Bring Him Home,” by Jackman was a real tear-jerker
- Care for all children, as if they were your own
- Show kindness, always
- Have passion for your cause
- Know that change will come
- Workplace squabbles can lead to prostitution
Maybe that last one is not a good life lesson, but you get the idea.
Believe in the power of passionate individuals to change the world. I know there are many more life lessons in Les Mis to explore, but I am heading to Middle-earth today.
Yes, I am going to see The Hobbit at noon.
And so I leave you with the words of Valjean.
And from a writing teacher’s point of view, I must point out these lyrics are so brilliant because they are so simple. Almost all of the words are one syllable, but they pack in so much emotion, just like the musical.
“Bring Him Home”
Bring him peace
Bring him joy
He is young
He is only a boy
You can take
You can give
Let him be
Let him live
If I die, let me die
Let him live
Bring him home
Related articles
- We Need To Talk About Les Mis (oneawkwardyear.wordpress.com)
- Today’s daily prompt
100 Days of Poems and Pics 
So completely jealous you’ve already gotten to see the movie. It doesn’t come out here until next week. Enjoy The Hobbit! (and all your future escapes to the movies)
Preparing for my darling eldest son to return to me on one of his twice yearly visits. Your words already have me in early morning tears. I will see Les mis……..but i choose The Hobbit first. The joy of successful roots + wings is also the bittersweet cry “bring him home” ….to me.
Thanks! Yes, enjoy your time with family. Although they drive us crazy, they are our special roots & wings!