Let someone live in your love

Photo from the movie The Best Intentions

The Best Intentions is the name of the book, the movie and the theatre play written by one of Swedens most famous directors and writers, Ingmar Bergman. It is the story about his parents and their life together. The poor theology student Henrik gets acquainted with the wealthy family Åkerblom and falls in love with the youngest daughter Anna. As Bergman writes, in the book with the same title, this is a story of a life span. And I agree. It is a story about two very different people who meet, fall in love and struggle constantly with their differences. However, they do connect in their wish to contribute to the society and they do that very consistently and without giving up, while they at the same time realise that having the best intentions isn't always enough...   

I watched this story as a playwright yesterday. Beautifully interpreted and with a drive through the pain, melancholy and anxiety that was impressive. The most touching part was when Anna said, in the grief after her father's death, that she took her father's presence for granted and lived in his love. We came out from the warm theatre into the cold snowy evening. The snowing continued throughout the night and I woke up to a winterland, but also to the results of the American election. We were many that froze this morning, not knowing what to do with the news and not knowing how to get to work in the snowy weather. It is one of these days that creates an exception from ordinary life, when you reach out to people you haven't talked to in a while, just to connect. Just to send some thoughts. Because when we are out of this frozen state, I think it has to be all about action. We need to do things for each other and with each other. It is good with the best intentions, but maybe it isn't enough. Use this exceptional day. Don't stay frozen. Do something small. Or big. Make a difference. Let someone live in your love.