THE SCI-FI CHRISTIAN’S STOCKING STUFFER by Brady

December 17, 2011

It’s Christmastime, everybody!

Every year around this time, I realize that Christmas has lost a lot of its meaning for me.  I wish I could go back to being a kid, but then I realize that would require me to be like one of those kids from the Narnia movie who had to go through puberty twice.  No, thanks.

 

Horror!

 

But not all hope is lost!  As an adult, I’ve been drawn to the word “advent” and its relationship to the word “adventure.”  The words come from the same root word meaning, “to look forward to something.”  This has caused me to think on all of the years before Christ while they were looking forward to the Messiah.  Now, Christmastime has regained meaning for me, even though I am skeptical of its origins.  Even now, we are looking forward to his return just as the believers did before his birth.

 

The perfect combo of advent and adventure. (source: tabithaw.wordpress.com)

 

There are two ingredients needed to look forward to someone.  They are love and separation.  Another great example of this can be seen in “The Constant,” arguably the most-celebrated and overall-loved episode of ABC’s “LOST.”  The story shows two lovers, separated not only by space, but also time.  Even though the episode aired on February 28th, 2008, Christmas Eve, 2004 played an important role in the story.  The episode features Desmond, an often-cowardly Scottish man that has been stuck on the Island, as the “special qualities” of the Island cause his consciousness to flip back and forth in time while he travels off the island to the freighter ship.

 

Confusion, brotha.

 

As his consciousness becomes more and more unstable, it is clear that one of two things is going to happen.  Either his mind will fail from the instability, causing him to die, or he will have to find a “constant”, a person or thing that is emotionally significant in both his past and present.

 

What happens without a constant.

 

Desmond’s mind flung back from 2004 to 1996.  In 1996, Desmond found his ex-girlfriend and the love  his life, Penny.  He begged her to give him her phone number, not to change it for eight years ,and to wait eight years for his phone call. Though she resented him because of his inability to commit and suspected that he was losing his mind for begging such a crazy request, love prevailed and she agreed.  When Desmond’s mind returned to 2004, he was finally able to call her from the freighter on Christmas Eve, 2004.  When they spoke, her love rekindled, he gained his hope, and he found his constant, subsequently, showing that true love conquers all.

 

She answers!

 

I admit that the set-up for the phone call is confusing, but whether you are a fan of confusing storylines or not, I think most will admit that the phone scene is beautifully written and pulls at their heartstrings.  But don’t take my word for it…

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6 comments on “THE SCI-FI CHRISTIAN’S STOCKING STUFFER by Brady

  1. This is the best. Makes me want to watch LOST again. Thanks for reminding me of such a great moment.

    • It makes me want to watch it all over again too. I was pretty happy because this episode came on four days after my birthday. I liked to think LOST was celebrating me by making an amazing episode in my honor… Is that egotistical?

  2. Michael Dec 18, 2011

    Brady, this is an awesome post! I especially liked the “advent” and “adventure” connection — and, yes, that is a powerful scene even for one like me who has not seen (most of) “Lost.” A great choice — thanks for sharing it!

    • Thanks, Michael! I’m looking forward to reading the other writers’ articles this week too.

  3. Brady, this is awesome!

    P.S. – I may have gotten teary-eyed while watching this clip–a mixture of nostalgia over a brilliant show and the simple fact that I am a sucker for emotional scenes.

  4. Needless nitpick: Is “Christmastime” one word?

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