True Romance

One of the perks of part time jobs meant that on Valentine's Day we could take off for a lovely long walk in Hampstead Heath, browse a book shop with a coffee, duck into a pub at 4pm, and then relax into a film at the cinema. Lucky our choice was well rewarded. True Grit was a fantastic treat; to watch a film beautifully made, and a good tale well told. Although I love Jeff Bridges, and he was so enjoying playing Rooster Cogburn, he's really a supporting role to the fantastic Mattie played by Hailee Steinfeld. It was so great to watch a female character stealing the limelight, not because of her youthful looks or cynical wit that comes with age, but because of her intelligence, strength and sense of justice. I love the character and wish there were more like that.

Its funny that Gustavo and I met on Valentine's Day because we now mark that as the day we met, despite the fact that neither of us care that much about the concept of a valentine's day. Romance is a daily surprise to me and something I will try to write about without being gushing or bragging but because I think its something to celebrate and enjoy. And because its actually pretty rare to encounter in its pure, genuine form without some form of cynicism.

I've been inspired by the protests, from the success at protesting against forestry sell off to the Egyptian youth overthrowing their President. And it strikes me there is a common thread between pure passion for justice and pure expression of love (whether at the world or a person). Its a really refreshing change from decades of the dominant culture of cynicism. Dont get me wrong, there is a place for that, and for questioning and for laughing at absurdity and people who take themselves too seriously. But this surely must be balanced with passion for the truth and innocence? I think we need more of this innocence, of idealism.