The Pyrenees---Southern France

The Pyrenees---Southern France

Monday, September 29, 2014

A Lightning-Bolt Moment

       This weekend I watched the movie Belle. If you have not seen it, run out immediately and get it from Redbox or wherever you get your rentals. 

        Two of the co-stars are Tom Wilkinson (one of my favorites---he was hilarious in The Full Monty) and Miranda Richardson (she was brilliant in The Crying Game). The singular star is Gugu Mbatha-Raw, another Brit, who plays Belle.


       In the movie, there is a lightning-bolt moment when Belle's fiancee says something...something that is so dismissive of Belle's past, Belle cannot compromise or ignore any longer. An undercurrent to the primary storyline is a court case that has quite an insidious premise.




        This movie is snatched from the pages of real-life history, which makes it even more compelling. If you love romance, you'll love this film. If you adore period pieces, you'll go ga-ga. If you are a history buff and are looking for a new not-well-known avenue to travel down, you'll find it here.

        This morning I also drew from a pile of names for the copy of Verna Simms' novel Water Under the Bridge. The competition was so stiff, with my thousands hundreds dozens three followers, it took an age to write down all the names, fold them in half, and stir them up. However, my numb and nimble little fingers finally finished, and the winner is...

                   Shay.

       Shay, if you send me your address, I will send you a copy of the book.




       Have you--my three followers--had a lightning-bolt moment? A moment when you immediately knew--in an electrical moment--that you'd have to quit your job or divorce or fall in love or surrender or take a risk? 

        Share, please.        

22 comments:

  1. Just got in off the road last night...great to find a good movie recommendation. I like escape in all forms! LIghtning bolt moment...the scene where I learned of my dad's cancer comes to mind. In one split nanosecond, life changed. Life had a thread of hope and then the words sorry and terminal fell like a hammer blow changing everything forever and ever.

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    1. Claudia--That DOES sound like a lightning bolt moment. I hope--if you have not already--that you write about it. The way you recovered could inspire others...

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  2. Happy Monday! This post won't pop up in my email until tomorrow morning, but I hunted you down early. :) This movie sounds right up my alley, but I'll have to watch it alone as the hubster is devoted to car chases and stuff blowing up, so this won't appeal to him. Next time he goes fishing, though, I'll be at the Red Box.

    A lightning bolt moment. Hmm. Not that I can think of right now, nothing that would qualify for such a rapid-fire term. I do recall an anniversary dinner with my hubby many moons ago when we talked about the future and I first expressed, not just my desire to write, because he already knew about that, but the fact that I believed I was meant to be a writer. That was pivotal, because he really "got it" and supported every decision I've ever made since pertaining to my career as an author. I don't think that qualifies as a lightning bolt moment, but it was certainly a major turning point.

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    1. Lisa--So, you're stalking me? ;)

      It sounds like that was a lighting bolt moment for your husband...and you benefitted from all that electrical current that sparked around you.

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    2. Lisa--It "published" before I could finish. I think you should write down that story. It would be inspirational to other writers and to people who are on the edge of taking a huge leap...Just a suggestion.

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  3. Aww, yes, many pivotal moments... too many to list here, but they mostly had to do with knowing it was time to divorce (or end a relationship)... and job changes too!

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  4. Who suggested you watch that movie?

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    1. Michael--Ummm. I'm not sure. ;) Yes, sometimes you rent great ones (like "Belle") and other times you bring home ones that put up a horrible stench.

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  5. There was the moment when I knew I was in love, knew he wasn't [yet, thankfully!] and decided I'd just own it and 'fess up and roll with consequences.

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    1. Marcia--I couldn't tell if the "yet, thankfully" meant that thankfully, he wasn't then and fortunately you two didn't end up in a bad union or thankfully, he wasn't then because you two were not "ripe" for the opportunity at that time, but later, he was...

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  6. Sounds like that movie has all the elements I love. Will definitely check it out.

    No lightening bolts for me. My moments are all senior ones.

    Pat
    Critter Alley

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  7. I didn't realize Belle was out on DVD. Thanks for reminding me to rent it. Many pivotal moments for me, too. Sometimes I think my poor brain works in fits and starts. Congratulations to Shay!

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  8. As the ploddingest plodder who ever plodded, I have not yet had a lighting-bolt moment.

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    1. Val--Well, don't stand too close to Hick as he holds a tall metal pole--upright--while a storm is brewing, or you might experience a literal lightning bolt moment.

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  9. I shall add this to my long list of movies to rent...I'm afraid if I miss it at the theater, I never...quite...get round to it. But I'll try!

    As for lightening bolt moments...um...my house was struck by a lightening bolt (my daughter, who was about four said, "Mommy, I don't think the wall's s'posed to look like that.") And when I saw a biga$$ crack down my bedroom wall, that was a moment, I can tell you. :-)

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    1. Cathy--That is funny--now that it's clear that no one was hurt. Wow! What an incredible experience that must have been!

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  10. Pardon me for missing my winning moment; I wasn't on line very much in the days after Bosco died. Gee, I miss him. But i am excited about my book!

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