The Power of Optimism: Hope and Love in 7th Heaven

I am a complex individual. I have a lot of faith in the power of goodness, yet, at the same time I'm incredibly negative; I love the world, in spite of my fatalistic belief that it's falling apart. So, in my movie-watching ventures, I tend to veer back and forth between depressing sagas and good-time comedies.  

Feeling unwell, I took today off of work and settled down in bed to watch a movie. 7th Heaven (1927) is a silent film I've been meaning to watch for ages, and the plot description perfectly suited my ill-bearing, stress-sick mood. Poverty, abuse, war, - perfect! I guess I'm just a movie-masochist that way. However, my hope for two thoroughly miserable hours in bed was thwarted.

Chico, played by Charles Farrell (who is almost too beautiful for me to bear), is a cleaner of the sewers of Paris. He aspires to be a street cleaner, to work above, among the people. Nearby, Diane, played by Janet Gaynor, is being whipped by her elder sister. Forced by her sister into prostitution and theft, Diane is full of fear and misery, and is ashamed of her sins.  

One day, Diane's sister drives her out into the street, whipping and strangling her as they fall in the gutter near Chico's work area. Chico drives Diane's sister away, but is filled with disdain for Diane's lack of courage, saying a creature like her doesn't deserve to have her life saved. He questions God's will in placing people on earth, declaring himself an atheist. 

Suddenly, Chico's first chance arrives. A local priest approaches and offers him a commission as a city street cleaner. Chico is about to go off to celebrate when a policeman approaches; Diane's sister is in custody, and they are taking Diane with her. Chico, surprised by his own words, declares - "She's my wife!"  

Ladies and gentlemen, this without a doubt is one of my favorite plot lines. Man rescues woman by pretending to be her husband! In a day and age where men run from the mere idea of marriage is distasteful, a man protecting a woman by calling her wife is always heart-melting. I watched, with veritable hearts in my eyes, as Chico and Diane lived together in shy intimacy, continuing their charade until a police detective should come and see if Chico's claim was true. As their time together became more pleasant, and as their love grew deeper, Diane gained more and more courage. She began living by Chico's mantra, and was always looking up.  

Just as Chico asks Diane to marry him, they are hit with the ultimate trial: - War has broken out! As a final test of his faith, Chico asks God to observe their vows to each other in his home, making them truly married before he is carried away with his regiment.  For months and years, Chico and Diane remain faithful. At the same time each day, they hold the religious medals they wear around their necks, and they think of their love. They believe that they will be together again! 

… I refuse to tell you exactly what happens in the end. To do that would spoil the beautiful emotions of this story's conclusion, but I will say this: - Hope and courage prevail. If faith can carry two troubled beings through outward trials, trials even as devastating as war, it can surely guide people like me through inner turmoil.  

In accordance with my unshakable values, I exercise a great amount of humility. I recoiled from the conceited Chico, who found himself so self-reliable. "I'm never afraid! That's what makes me a very remarkable fellow!"  Then the war changed his point of view; God was the source of Chico's courage, his ability to continue looking up while in the grapple of adversity. 

That's when I understood: Self-belief is a virtue. When courage and humility combine to form hope, it is a grace and a treasure. I spend so much of my life in fear. Anxiety over what I've done, what others might do, holds me an iron grip in every moment of every day, preventing me from finding the inner peace I display outwardly. But humility is good, I told myself.  I might be afraid, but my life means little, and I'm generous to others. For years this has been my recipe for a fruitful life, a huge helping of humility.  

I missed an ingredient: - COURAGE. How can I have faith in the goodness of people if I spend my life hiding behind corners? How can I ever hope to reach above my dissatisfaction, if I don't bother to try, to fight for my happiness? You, reader, don't know how I let other people walk over me. They do the talking, they do the judging, they do the choosing and the criticizing. And, I? I'm not there; or, at least, I pretend not to be. It frightens me, to be alive.  

No one should be afraid to exist. No one should purposefully be unhappy. That, in a nutshell, is what I learned from 7th Heaven. Oh, I could argue that the reason I have no courage is because I haven't found love; Janet Gaynor had Charles Farrell to inspire her, but I'm single and battling life on my own. But that's another part of being brave: continuing without the promise of love, without knowing when the war will end or who will fall. You have to look up.  

If you're reading this... You're strong. You're capable of things that surpass the puny powers of the ones who put you down. You can be humble and kind. You can be mighty and brave. You will be okay. You need to believe that. You need to look up.  

That kind of rich optimism... It's the closest thing to Heaven. It must be close to Heaven.  

I'll try it, and let you all know.