All About You FRIDAY – The Thread We Weave

Over fifteen years ago, I had a crush on a guy I thought would be perfect for me. A serious crush. He was creative and funny. Intelligent and handsome. I was fresh off a bad break up that ripped a hole in my heart worse than being widowed. I had been betrayed and it caught me by surprise.

“Why me?!” I asked as I looked to the heavens.

Desperate to prove I was worthy of someone’s love, I dove back into online dating. I met this handsome man and I thought I had my answer. But he wasn’t that into me. At least, not in that way. He thought I was beautiful, smart and funny and he admired me, or so it seemed. But love is a mystery. And relationships even more so.

A few months later, a local filmmaker broke his ankle and walked into my clinic. He wasn’t even my patient, but he ended up on my schedule one day. We ended up chatting about photography and the cameras he used to make his short films. I was immediately intrigued.

“I’m working on a short film,” he said. “Do you want to shoot Camera B on my set?” His injury had made it harder for him to move around.

I did. So after work, I headed to the set and learned how movies were put together. I saw how things were shot out of sequence. I learned about using different lenses to create different moods. I was hooked.

He told me about a contest called the 48 Hour Film Project that involves writing, shooting and producing a 4-7 minute film over the course of a weekend. The winner of the contest had a shot at having their film screened at the Cannes Film Festival in France.

I have been accused in the past of taking a hobby and turning it into a much bigger thing. Maybe that is what happens when you mix geek with ambition.

My patient wasn’t entering the contest that year, but Mr. Hot Guy was into filmmaking, so I had a brilliant idea.

Me: Would you by any chance want to do this with me? (I texted, sending him the link)

Hot Guy: Yes! And I’ll bring my buddy Jerry! (fastest answer he’d ever given me)

I had visions of us riding in a convertible through the French countryside holding our Oscar trophy and laughing as the wind whipped through our hair.

«whiiiir-zzzt-stop» (sound of the romantic song in my head stopping suddenly, bringing me back to reality).

We did end up making a film that year that won several awards, just not the big one. And in the years since, we’ve pulled together a team of actors and creative talent to make 23 more films together. In a couple of months, we’ll compete in our 25th contest.

And we never went on one date.

A couple of years ago, another patient walked into my clinic. We bonded over our love of music and guitars. She was a singer in her late 60’s working on her final album. Her husband was a drummer and they had a professional recording studio in their basement.

I witnessed her determination as she worked on recovering from her injuries. And then I watched as she suffered the sudden loss of her husband.

“Why me?!” she said to me one day. My heart was breaking for her in that moment.

But human resilience is a thing to behold and this year, I saw the light return to her eyes as she hired some musicians and completed the album she had started with her husband. She invited me into her studio to hear the final tracks.

“A guy I’ve worked with in the past reached out to me and asked what I was up to?” she said excitedly one day. Turns out, the owner of Megawave Music was interested in promoting her new album. “He loves it!,” she said, “But he says I need a music video for my title track, ‘Learning How to Fly'”, she added sounding a little overwhelmed.

“I can help you make a music video!” I said without hesitation

“You can?!” she asked as I was stretching her knee.

Yep, because I know a man named Hot Guy who knows how to shoot great films. (Notice that is not in quotes because I didn’t really say that.)

This past weekend, we finished shooting the footage for her song, Learning How to Fly. As I sat and watched her sing, I was reminded of the paths that we both have walked to bring her to this moment. She was radiant and her voice so strong and beautiful. Her husband would be so proud. (When I get permission, I’ll share the video with you.)

An unrequited crush. A filmmaker’s broken ankle. Two widows. And a music video. What do they have in common? Now you know.

Sometimes things don’t turn out quite like we plan. But if we stay on the path long enough, we get the answers to “Why me?” And somehow, the answers in God’s time always turn out way better than we could have ever planned. My life is living proof of that.

It’s been a long week. Don’t forget to celebrate. And stay on the path. Answers lie ahead.

Until next time…