A Love Story

The movie Forest Gump is:

A) A comedy.
B) A drama
C) A tragedy
D) A Love Story

If you have any doubt that it is one of the best love stories of all time then you need take a moment and ask yourself what love is. Ask yourself how in the world you missed the obvious. Because let me say I think it is an amazing story. It is an amazing love. It is the kind of love I think we here at Brainstorming are dreaming of day in and day out. I know I sure am.

We all know Forest loves Jenny. But it's not your typical love. It's not infatuation or a crush. It's not momentary. It's not ambiguous or uncertain. From the first moment he meets her he knows she is the one.

He say's "You know, it's funny what a young man recollects, 'cause I don't remember being born. I don't recall what I got for my first Christmas, and I don't know when I went on my first outdoor picnic, but I do remember the first time I heard the sweetest voice in the wide world."

Watch the movie again and focus on Forest and what Jenny means to him. Watch the way he looks at her. Listen to how he talks about her. Notice how he protects her. Not because he is jealous she is out with other guys, but because he thinks she deserves to be treated better than they were treating her. She deserves the best. That's his girl. She was so lost for so long and he was there waiting for her. He was so in love with her he didn't know other women even existed.

No matter how far away she was he had her right there in his heart. I don't think a minute went by that he didn't spend it thinking about her. Missing her. Loving her. He named his boat after her. He talked about her non-stop. He showed up where she was to see her and spend time with her.

Watch them in the park together after he finds out he is a dad. The undeniable way he adores her as he listens to her talk. Pay attention to how he introduces her to Lieutenant Dan. "This is my Jenny" Not Jenny. MY Jenny. She was always his as far as he is concerned.

The tragedy of the movie is how long it takes Jenny to realize what Forest wants to give her. He knows he isn't a smart man, he tells her that. He tells her that he would make a good husband. And he wants to know why she doesn't love him. Why won't she marry him?

Why did it take her so long to figure it out? Did she only see it when it was too late? Her end was near and she needed to figure out what to do with her son so she contacts Forest. Was that fair? To Forest it was, remember he doesn't care WHY she is marrying him. All he cares about is that she is now his.

I think we should all take a moment to STOP. And see what we are missing out on. Take a look at your life through the eyes of Jenny. Are you wandering around lost and looking and trying everything you can to fill up the empty space in your heart? Are you missing the obvious love being offered to you? Do you have a Forest in your life waiting for you? Are you looking for your Forest?

Forest, do you have a Jenny? Do you have a love that consumes your every thought? Are you following her around trying to talk her into marrying you? Loving you? Have you told her what she means to you? How you can't get through the day without being lost in her memory? That you dream of a life with her?

HEARTWORK: There is a Doug Stone song called "Why Didnt I Think Of That" Read the lyrics. Ask yourself if you are doing all you can do to win her every day. It's not good enough to win her once. It has to be a daily quest. She needs to know every day that you would be lost without her. Does she know it? Have you told her?

NEXT: I recently read A Walk To Remember. I see a lot of Jenny in Landon. We will talk about that soon.

Email is brainstorminglife@yahoo.com. All comments, ideas, suggestions, complaints, etc are always welcome.