If you’ve read any of my daily thoughts over the past several months, you will have noticed that I share my thoughts in two languages… my native language and the other language of my heart…. French. There is a reason why I do that. I was reminded last night, very beautifully, why a part of my heart dwells in another land across the Atlantic. Last evening, I shared an evening with two beautiful ladies for dinner and a movie, my sweet Carol and my beautiful daughter Emily. I had expressed a desire to see the movie “The Hundred-Foot Journey” that was released this weekend. My dates noticed that as I sat in wonder through the early panoramic views of the countryside in the south of France, tears came to my eyes. I whispered to Carol that I recognized that countryside. This morning, after some Internet research, I was able to discover specifically where the movie was filmed. That discovery revealed why my heart ached upon viewing those magnificently filmed panoramas. I was traveling back to a place in my mind where I spent many months in the prime of my youth in the vistas of that magical and magnificent place. The movie was filmed in the countryside of Tarn et Garonne near Toulouse France in the small town of Saint Antonin-Noble-Val, about 25 miles (40 km) from the town of Montauban. I was blessed to absorb this area of that magnificent part of the south of France during the second spring and summer of my two years in France. I lived in Montauban for about two months and Toulouse for three months, the place I would leave to return home. If you’ve ever spent any extended time in France you will have discovered that the people of France view food and its preparation and presentation as an integral part of who they are. The artistic core of these beautiful people expresses itself in the subtle variations of tastes in their sauces, garnishments, and variety of masterful preparations. Food is not merely nourishment to the body, but to the soul and the whole of the spirit that likewise requires nourishment. This film successfully captures that essence of this French provincial culture with a moving story of how the spirit is enriched when the culture of a different part of the world, India, is discovered, ultimately honored and blended into the traditional, classic haute cuisine of France to produce an enhanced nourishment of spirit for an even better sensory adventure. Immediately after the film, Emily’s observation is an accurate and eloquent critique of this extremely well produced film… she declared that she was homesick for France and she had never been there… The movie has no foul language at all. It has no indiscriminate violence. It has no explicit love scenes. The movie has none of these nonsense marketing packaged necessities that Hollywood thinks is necessary to produce large box office sales. Steven Spielberg and Oprah Winfrey joined their talents and have accomplished a beautiful story, set in a breathtakingly beautiful place, close to my heart, with a loving message for all of us. I am happy that my extended family, the people of France, helped in sharing this story and message as the beautiful essence of their culture is revealed with their virtuous love for the subtle essences of life for all things beautiful that lift the spirit to the higher mountaintops of our mortal journeys of life. I encourage all of you to plan a date night with your loved ones to enjoy this adventure, “The Hundred-Foot Journey”. It is one of those rare experiences that will make your day…. youtu.be/yEO1TWeM5JU
Posted on: Sun, 17 Aug 2014 12:07:04 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015