Evening

It’s one o’clock in the morning and my brother, John, and I
are sitting on either side of my father’s hospital bed in
the quiet, dimly lit care unit in lovely costal southern
California. 

Our father is dying.

For several hours he has been disappearing into some realm
where we could not follow.  He stops breathing.  Minutes
pass.  Then with a huge effort he takes another breath and
returns.

He talks with us, making sure things are good between us,
stays as long as he can, then some wind sweeps him away on
his journeys.  He repeats his coming and going all night.

John and I peacefully observe this profound mystery unfold.

My brother and I each have 30 year meditation practices.
We’re comfortable just sitting.  Just breathing.  Even
while our father dies.

It was intense, and it was sweet.

It was one of the richest times of my life and continues to
inform my work and inspire my life.
 
The film, Evening, parallels John’s and my journey with our
father.

I recommend you watch it.  Here’s why.  You can upgrade
your right brain, (one of my four alluring paradigms) with
this film. 

This film will present you with beautiful design (one of
the six skills for upgrading your right brain).  It takes
place by the sea in Newport, RI in a beautiful mansion.

I mostly want you to see it for its ability to fortify your
empathy.  Empathy is another of the six right brained
skills you need to navigate the 21st C.  Strengthening your
empathy enhances your ability, as well as everyone else’s,
to thrive. 

Vanessa Redgrave plays Ann who is dying and drifting into
and out of this and other realms like my father who thought
he was in France.  Claire Danes plays Ann as a young woman
in the flashbacks.

The two sisters are played by Toni Collette and Natasha
Richardson, who is the real life daughter of Vanessa
Redgrave.  Their bedside scenes will move you.

Some of the most fun, yes fun, and deepest wisdom come from
the interactions between Ann and Ilene Atkins, the night
nurse, while she is wearing a ball gown.
 
Even with all this death, my fathers and Ann’s, you will be
richer for the journey.

Rent the DVD Evening.  http://tinyurl.com/y6dmfn