My grandson took me to see Spiderman- Far From Home, yesterday. I hadn’t seen a Spiderman movie before and wasn’t too keen on it, but he really wanted to see it. I should learn to listen to my grandson. He’s pretty smart for 9 years old!
Spiderman was amazing on many levels. Good acting, great cinematography and digital animation, wowzer action sequences and a sweet little romance.
The thing that strikes me most, though, is the writing. These writers are geniuses. Peter Parker’s character arc (and I can only speak to this single movie) is fantastic. Combining the hero’s journey with a powerful life lesson was clever.
Apparently, Peter Parker was buds with Ironman Tony Stark. I didn’t see that part, but Tony leaves something of great value to Peter but it comes with tremendous responsibility. Peter is 16 years old and admits, he’s more interested in the girl than he is in saving the world.
But, and here is the life lesson—being chosen for greatness (and I’m speaking only of Peter, not anyone else who may think they’ve been chosen for greatness), isn’t something you plan on. There’s no, ‘I’ll meet you in the park at 2pm on Friday to accept my mantle of greatness’ deal.
Destiny waits for no superhero. Neither does Nick Fury. My favorite scene in the movie is when Nick forces Peter to face his destiny.
Nick Fury: You got
gifts, Parker. But you didn’t want to be here.
Peter Parker: Mr. Fury, I…
Nick Fury: I’d love to have you in Berlin too. But you’ve got to
decide whether you’re going to step up or not. Stark chose you. He made you an
Avenger. I need that. The world needs that. Maybe Stark was wrong. Was he?
For me, this was the spiritual moment when the hero is called and must choose to accept the calling. Likely, you’ve been here. I certainly have. You hear either a still, small voice or a really loud one, saying, “Do this thing.”
You don’t want to. You’re busy. You have a different idea of your summer vacation or, what the heck, your life journey. But your inner Nick Fury is calling and you know you can’t send him to voice mail.
You don’t have to accept the calling. That’s what free will is all about. But what if Peter decided to trash his Spiderman suit and the Tony Stark gift (not telling you what that is)? What if he ignored the gifts he’d been given for the greater good in favor of skateboarding through Europe?
Luckily, most of us aren’t called to be Avengers. We aren’t called to save the world. Are we?
