My neighbor and I spent a few hours together watching Cinderella Man. Tom, as many may know from reading this blog, has lost his wife of 58 years a week ago. Though he does not reveal too much, I know he is suffering. We have been planning to watch this movie for about 3 days now, and last night we watched what to me is one of the greatest movies in the last five years. What makes it so great? a) The outstanding acting, b) the clear dramatization of one of the worst times in American History (Great Depression, in which Tom went through as a young boy in the 1930’s) and c) the loveliness of a committed husband and wife to their family.
Tom told stories about the Great Depression he has told me many times, but I still enjoy them because they are part of his story. The classic story I hear over and over is that during the Depression, he had spaghetti almost every day. As a result he has not eaten spaghetti in over 40 years.
Tom is hardened to the gospel. He has not been in church for many years. He seems disappointed. I offered to read the Bible with him, only to be immediately rejected. I will try again in the future.
