There is much more here than at first meets the eye. Deborah Bell has touched on much that bears on living a life that matters; with the strokes of her pen (or keyboard as the case may be) she whisks us away from the everyday noise, and within the stillness of which she writes beckons us to find ourselves in the stories we entertain and attend to and in the world we inhabit in what we label as reality. Well worth taking the time to read and act upon should you find merit.
This is a beautiful piece. I agree entirely. One reason I prefer tv series to movies these days is the extra length allowed gives them a chance to take a few breaths. Though I usually want them to take more.
Ma is something I try to include in my life, and in my writing and acting as well.
For some reason I view entertainment as being over here, and real life as being over there. I don't want to mix the two. I perceive cinema as being too limited (as a genre) to bridge the gap between what life is and what it is presented as.
Documentaries don't have this problem. Nor do comedies - they only have to make us laugh.
I used to view entertainment as potentially profound. Then something changed. Now it is merely enjoyable. Perhaps the internet had something to do with it. Perhaps it's old age. I haven't watched television since 2010. Growing up, I was a TV addict. So many hours spent in front of the set and its rabbit ears. I still have fond memories of those shows. But that was then and this is now. I'm either searching for something different, or given up the search. I never thought I'd give up TV and not miss it.
Yes, I would like to be the first to like this post! Thank you so much for expanding on your initial note about ma. I’m an ex-filmmaker and draw on my experience as a meditation guide to hold space for women writing. Ma encapsulates my whole philosophy of life, I think! There may be more (will be more) to say but for now, just 🙏✨
'I wanted to spend empty time with them but they refused to be still.' This is how I feel in so many of the movies I watch recently! I think Everything, Everywhere, All At Once used Ma as an integral message and it was so refreshing to watch, especially when it also has so many action sequences. Thank you for sharing this wonderful and thoughtful piece!
That’s fascinating! I hope you’ll share more thoughts on Ma as I’d like to learn more, especially about how it benefits women writers.
There is much more here than at first meets the eye. Deborah Bell has touched on much that bears on living a life that matters; with the strokes of her pen (or keyboard as the case may be) she whisks us away from the everyday noise, and within the stillness of which she writes beckons us to find ourselves in the stories we entertain and attend to and in the world we inhabit in what we label as reality. Well worth taking the time to read and act upon should you find merit.
Let’s start a movement called “We need more Ma!” lol sharing this story as the first step to global Ma domination - thank you for writing it 🙏🏽
Now that’s a movement I can get behind! Thanks so much for the share 💛
This is a beautiful piece. I agree entirely. One reason I prefer tv series to movies these days is the extra length allowed gives them a chance to take a few breaths. Though I usually want them to take more.
Ma is something I try to include in my life, and in my writing and acting as well.
Thank you so much for your kind words! 💛
How do you include Ma in your writing and acting?
Seems to me that writing is more representative of real life than film-making.
Films are are made to be watched; life is meant to be experienced. So the proportion of Ma is reversed.
Ma becomes significant in films, and taken for granted in real life.
“Ma becomes significant in films, and taken for granted in real life.” Yes, very well put.
I think we can also learn from how beautifully Ma is presented in film and appreciate the Ma moments in our own lives more.
For some reason I view entertainment as being over here, and real life as being over there. I don't want to mix the two. I perceive cinema as being too limited (as a genre) to bridge the gap between what life is and what it is presented as.
Documentaries don't have this problem. Nor do comedies - they only have to make us laugh.
I used to view entertainment as potentially profound. Then something changed. Now it is merely enjoyable. Perhaps the internet had something to do with it. Perhaps it's old age. I haven't watched television since 2010. Growing up, I was a TV addict. So many hours spent in front of the set and its rabbit ears. I still have fond memories of those shows. But that was then and this is now. I'm either searching for something different, or given up the search. I never thought I'd give up TV and not miss it.
Thanks for reading.
My life of Ma is not a box-office hit, yet it's one I never grow tired of.
I don't watch many movies or television series. Too much violence. It's gotten old, or I've gotten old.
💛
Lovely essay!
Thank you so much, Lawrence! 💛
Yes, I would like to be the first to like this post! Thank you so much for expanding on your initial note about ma. I’m an ex-filmmaker and draw on my experience as a meditation guide to hold space for women writing. Ma encapsulates my whole philosophy of life, I think! There may be more (will be more) to say but for now, just 🙏✨
'I wanted to spend empty time with them but they refused to be still.' This is how I feel in so many of the movies I watch recently! I think Everything, Everywhere, All At Once used Ma as an integral message and it was so refreshing to watch, especially when it also has so many action sequences. Thank you for sharing this wonderful and thoughtful piece!
I’m really glad you liked it! Yes, we definitely need more “empty space” in movies 💛