One of my favourite movies is Labyrinth. I remember watching it endlessly as a child and wanting to be Sarah, who while making the mistake of wishing the goblins would come and steal away her annoying half brother Toby, went above and beyond to get him back. I remember Jareth - King of the Goblins - who was played by David Bowie. I remember memorising the words as Sarah memorised them - You have no power over me. Years later I still remember Jareth pleading with Sarah - "Fear me, love me, do as I say...and I will be your slave". There are layers of meaning in that sentence and I think of it often, and how it can apply to relationships in my life, and the lives of others.
Something else I remember - and this is the part where I get to the prompt of "foul" - is Hoggle, the dirty little dwarf who tells Sarah the story of the "Bog of Eternal Stench". The story goes that if you get the tiniest amount of the bog on your skin, its foul stench will be with you for the rest of your life and can never ever be washed off. Or as Ludo, the big hairy friend of few words put it "SMEEELLLLLLL!"
I wonder if some actions and choices in life are similar to the Bog of Eternal Stench. Once done, they can never be undone and the memory of them follows you for the rest of your life. Some will be joyful - falling in love, standing alone in a cloud on a mountain, laughing so hard you almost wet your pants. Others are not so joyful - the way he just stopped breathing, the coffin, hateful words spoken, hearts broken. I worry about doing things that are so life changing that nothing will ever be the same. But really, what is there to lose?
11 comments:
I was not going to comment on any blogs today...but this pulled me in.
What a really deep metaphor between dark times and the movie.(i had fogotten that part). And what you write is touching in the memories you barely broach. I can hear your broken heart.
But the last line, I hear you trying to suck it up, be strong, say, ah so what anyway? ...But I don't think that is real. I don't think it is for any of us. And it is okay... The Stench steals our peace. It steals our peace. That is what we have to lose.
We must be as brave as Sarah was, and deal with our fear, guilt, sadness, and shame. And forgive-- ourselves and others...And mostly, let go. The stinch's hold over us, is often more us holding to it. ;)
Wonderful job. Really thought provoking.
:)
I love Labyrinth too! This post really took me back...
Loved the metaphor. I think that there are things we do in life that are difficult to scrub away, things that we wear like the proverbial Scarlet A. Of course, in many cases, we just think that our sins are visible to others, when it is just our consciences that are screaming at us to repent, or to erase the past...interesting thought.
Provocative piece, well written with layers and with imagery that reminds about memories and actions.
Ah, but Hoggle was wrong - remember that he said he HAD no friends, so perhaps he was also wrong about the Bog of Eternal Stench too. Perhaps that was merely one perception of the effects.
Some things we do will, indeed, stay with us eternally, but the effect they have on us and others may not be eternal. It is human nature to change. And it is nature's way to blunt and dim over time.
It takes a conscious decision to keep a happy memory sharp. It takes time for unhappy memories to hurt less.
I'll step off the soapbox now - didn't know I had this little lecture in me...
Despite being unfamiliar with the movie this was beautifully written, captivating images too - well done!
wonderful thought provoking post.. i have never seen the movie labyrinth,, but i assure you i am off to netflix right now to add it to my queue.....
A very apt post. Yes, our actions do leave a 'stench', but they can be affected by time, if we have the will to rise above the bad things.
The ending of this post was wonderful. It definitely spoke to me, as I often struggle with the same general idea.
My Scribblings are up... come visit... though they are NOT for the faint of heart this week! :-o
http://lorivillarreal.typepad.com/do_you_realize/
We all are pulled into labyrinths. However, we have rise above it.
Life has to be lived and with a worthy cause.
fouled up, have you?
You just caused me to watch the film again. It had been years since I saw it. I forgot how much I loved it. Thanks.
hmmm... really enjoyed your post... "Fear me, love me, do as I say...and I will be your slave"... scary thought... the foulness of life ... never thought abt it as a stench... i always thought of it as lint... and if i have my handy lint brush.. a couple of rolls up and down..the lint would be gone until the next life experiencing episode...
Post a Comment