Recomending "The Soloist"

I watched “The Soloist” last weekend. It is a brilliant movie about a true story—a true friendship—that dramatically changed the lives of two men. In the beginning, one man is defined by his homeless and mental illness, while the other is defined by his job as a popular newspaper columnist. By the end, both are defined by the friendship they have made and the way it has completely changed large things in both their lives. It is movie that sheds light on a group of people normally in the dark: the homeless. It is a story that resonates with the truth that I’ve been discovering together with a group of friends here in Santa Barbara: friendships built between the “housed” and the “homeless” tend to throw open doors of possibility in the hearts and minds and lives of everyone involved.

That is pretty much all I have to write about today. Take my advice and watch “The Soloist” as soon as you are able. Watch the special features afterward, where you get to see and hear the real people that the actors played, or learn about the way the “extras” were located. Be amazed by the financial component of what it would save our country to end homelessness—how much less money it takes to offer services and support to individuals living in more stabilized situations.


Here are a couple quotes from a book about friendship that has me re-examining a lot of my beliefs and actions lately.

“Being genuinely present to someone also means being willing to be touched by him or her. If I genuinely bring myself to a relationship, I must be prepared to be changed by it.... Professional neutrality seeks to minimize this sort of influence on the one offering care, making all impact unidirectional. “

“Dialogue involves shared inquiry designed to increase the awareness and understanding of all parties.... In this process each participant touches and is touched by others. This result in each person’s being changed.”

from "Sacred Companions", by David G. Benner