Saturday, June 23, 2007

We like happy endings...

Paul Potts, the manager from Carphone Warehouse sings Opera?



Before you read futher, if you haven't seen the video above before, watch it.

When I grew up one of the explanations offered for the existence of evil was that the natural tendency of humans was toward evil and one had to be saved from this inevitable depravity.

I can't stop watching this video because it brings such emotion and a feeling of wishing this man well. Its obvious that his confidence is pretty low and its pretty painful for him to stand there in front of everyone. And then he sings and something almost magical takes over. You see the wonder wash over the audience and then you feel the reaching out toward him and the incredible happiness the audience and the judges have for him. Even mean ol' Simon.

I have a hard time believing that people are naturally depraved after seeing this. If this were true, everyone would be jealous of him. But, at least for this moment, I would guess that almost every person in that room was rooting for Paul Potts. Here is someone who looks like everyman that sings like Pavoratti. It's very moving to see someone realize their dream.

Life has these moments that remind me that there is real beauty in this world. This is one of the most beautiful moments that I have seen in a long time. We do like happy endings...

3 comments:

Old Pete said...

I liked your comment on NakedPastor's blog.
I've recently after perhaps 45 years, come to understand something of the difference between 'head knowledge' and 'heart awareness'.

I've never had any sort of leadership role in 'church' but I have had pastors crying on my shoulder.

I'd be interested to know what you think of "Head or Heart?"

Richard Harty said...

I'm been exploring the heart side of things much more in the last 10 years. The intuitive/feeling side has so much more information coming through than the thinking/linear side.

I am amazed at the ability of children and the mentally handicapped to intuit very complex things. There is a reference to this in Jesus' saying that we must become as little children to enter into the Kingdom of Heaven.

And personlly, while I can't explain it, the more I pay attention to the intuitive/feeling side the more successful and joyful I feel in my daily life.

I think the head is important once I have decided what my heart wants to do. What I have noticed is that most people don't really know what they want. And, to me, the brain doesn't really have the capability of letting me know what I really want, only the heart has that ability.

Thanks for your comment!

Anonymous said...

That video made me cry! Watching Paul Potts transform onstage can lift anyone's spirits. I was swept up in the audience's standing ovation and the spirit of humankind as I watched his amazing performance. What a gift he has to share with the world. It was soulsational to see him win. Thank you for posting the video.