Yesterday, I saw the much heralded film : The Second Best Exotic Marigold Hotel. Even without benefit of viewing its predecessor, I enjoyed it immensely. It may have had something to do with the demographic I am now in. Although most of the characters were twenty or more years my senior, I could relate to the life choices with which they were faced. Career, relationships, health, finances, all came to the surface for these British ex-pats who came to India to ‘outsource’ their later years. From what I understand, they were initially disappointed in the hotel that had seen better days, but came to embrace the culture, the inhabitants and each other as family.

Role calls are done each morning, to be sure that the residents are still breathing.

In this incarnation, the hotel was upgraded and these residents had acclimated. Various and sundry relationships were highlighted. The impending marriage of the young owner and his fiancee’ sets some of the background drama, as well as the proposals of one of the women, by two Indian suitors with whom she had been keeping company, unbeknownst to each other, the wooing of the mother of the hotel owner by a visiting American, the shy tiptoeing around, are-we-or-aren’t-we-a-couple relationship between two others and a series of affairs because one person thought the other one was already sneaking around.

The themes were about taking chances, regardless of stage in life or relationship status,  about new beginnings, about facing fears, about things not always being as they appear.

One of my favorite lines grabbed me with a big squeeze and wasn’t about to let go. “Sometimes the difference between what we want and what we fear is the width of an eyelash.” Do I ever know that one?

In the movie that I write, film, view and critique daily, I am facing two wishes that fit into that category. The first has to do with desiring a partner with whom to share the adventure of a life time.  I am a powerful manna-fester as experiences, opportunities and people often show up at the speed of thought. And yet….she says, with a bit of wistfulness, this person has remained elusive. I wonder if it is because I still stand with a foot in each polarity. I wonder too what it will take to solidly stand in the one that allows him to arrive.

The other has to do with career. For years, I have been declaring that I want to travel, teach and write full time. Guess what?  The opportunities to do so have been extended and I am nervous as heck, even as I am saying yes to those that are appealing.

As all of the loose ends got tied up at the end of the movie, so too do I see it occurring for me. Would that life be as simple. One of the lines from the original movie is “Everything will be alright in the end. If it’s not alright, it’s not the end.”