my atonement.

i just got home from seeing a movie called atonement. we were 6 of 7 people in the theatre. i use the british spelling because this movie was so good it deserves the pure form of the english language. the name is simple. atonement. an atonement is a satisfaction or reparation for wrongs or injury. according to christian theology, christ was the atonement for our sins.
this is a beautiful tragic love story like so much in life. and it was fantastically done. but it raises an interesting question. there is a significant emphasis on confession in this atonement. to bring the truth to the public light. but in the end, after is all is said and done and lost or used, what does the honesty mean? atonement is not about the truth. sometimes truth does not heal all wrongs. too many times it does not come close. sometimes repairing a wrong is not about correcting a misunderstanding and sometimes it is not about the person wronged. but it should be. and it should be so much simpler.
i like the idea though. of perfect atonement. of realizing the depth and breadth of the decisions we make, big and small, good and bad, selfless or selfish. i suppose perfect atonement brings the spirit of truth to light, even if this is not the aim of it. the music was wonderful. the movie was artistic. i was allowed the little pleasure of telling myself i at least definitely have a more substantial chest than keira knightley, and the more pleasurable enjoyment of james mcavoy's face. it's worth looking twice or more at. i like empty theatres. it makes you face the reality of the movie more, because its lonelier. and something about loneliness makes reality more present and stark. maybe because loneliness is one of life's greatest realities. but i am not lonely. i have a beautiful life. even without a tragically beautiful love story.