"Ewarence" of Arabia

Yesterday, I watched David Lean's extraordinary film, "Lawrence of Arabia". I have not seen it since I was 10 years old....when my Mum (God Bless her for being "different" as Lawrence was), pulled me out of school to see a re-showing of the original film. I was "different" enough myself, even then, to understand that T.E. Lawrence was an extraordinary person.....as were the Arab Sheiks (all from different tribes) he was able to inspire and form one Arab Nation to win their freedom from the Turkish Empire during WWI. Mind you, I didn't really comprehend what had actually taken place.....I was moved by the compelling Maurice Jarre score, by the beautiful brown eyes of Omar Sharif (this was before David Lean cast him as "Dr. Zhivago") and the beautfiul blue eyes of Peter O'Toole. (His film debut.) I was moved by the hypnotically gorgeous but yet, exotically deadly desert, the camels.......graceful, yet awkward, the White Arabian Stallion that Anthony Quinn acquires and rides off into the sunset.....

My Mum adored this film. She saw it many times before she invented an excuse to get me to a theater to share it with her. She owned the soundtrack (those days on a LP recording)....and as I grew older, I fell in love with it's exotic leitmotifs. (Shades of Saint-Saens "Samson et Delilah" and even a bit of Verdi's "Aida".)

Watching it yesterday (courtesy of Netflix), I learned a lot from it. Perhaps it was seeing the burning desert Sun - since I have not seen it's warm and comforting rays in many months.... (gasp, it's really true)...or perhaps I was re-living my 10 happy Summers in New Mexico with "C", where we climbed ancient Indian caves in Bandolier or - (courtesy of John Fowles) - the extraordinary cliffs of Tsanwaki.....anyway, I was spellbound....David Lean was a Film Magician - not too many could create his magic. (Anthony Minghella, Werner Herzog and the team of Merchant/Ivory come to mind).... but, the story itself, was compelling too. My Mum, bought all of T.E. Lawrence's books....and I read "The Seven Pillars of Wisdom" at 11 years old.... I admired him then - and I admire him more now.....it took great courage and passion to enter the world of Tribal Chiefs and to have the ability to reach out, to make them believe that his vision for an Arabian future..was theirs as well. Lawrence was a DREAMER..... but he has the strength to make part of his dream come true.

I have always been a Dreamer too.....and for most of my life, I was fortunate enough to make my own dreams see fruition. Life is different for me now.... it is hard to accept....and I am looking everywhere and anywhere I can for inspiration to help me go forward and regain some semblance of a life - and happiness and dreams.

Love,

♥ Robin ♥

Enjoy the music....and if you have not seen this film, I highly recommend it.