The other day I watched a 1992 film: "A River Runs Through It"

A film directed by the famous actor and filmmaker Robert Redford. One of Brad Pitt's early movies. I should say that I have never seen so unassuming a film that take us to the depths with such simplicity.

The Bigfoot River flows through the small town of Missoula, Montana. The narration in the first scene begins with the words: "In our family there is no clear line between religion and fly-fishing." Rev. Maclean, a pastor in the Presbyterian Church, has two sons: Norman and Paul. The father himself home schools the young Norman. He teaches his children everyday in detail the art and skill of fly-fishing. It takes a lot of skill to do it the right way on the water surface. Four-year-old Paul is also in his father's fishing tutorial. The Pastor is a stern fisherman.

In an afternoon, the little brothers were lying on the grass in the shade, sky-gazing. The younger brother Paul asks his older brother: 'What do you want to be when you grow up?'

"A Minister. If not a boxer.

How about you?'

"A professional fly-fisherman"

"There's no such thing"

"No? Then a boxer."

Norman later went to a distant city and, earning a degree returned to Montana. Paul didn't go anywhere. He became a skilled fly-fisherman. He took a job at a newspaper in the nearby town. He often didn't come home to sleep. In life there's alcohol, there are friends, there are women from time to time, and sometimes some fun too. In every field he shines well. Talent, smartness, sincerity, and charm go hand in hand in him. In the card game gang he has got debts. At times there are fights too.

Norman's taste is in literature. In every other field he is just average. Norman meets Jessie at a dance party. Slowly, they get closer. Jessie's brother arrives from California. He is extraordinarily handsome. But we come to know that alcohol and women have consumed him.

After spending a few days of vacation with his family, he goes back to California. After seeing him off at the train station, Jessie talks about her brother to Norman. With teary eyes she asks: "Why is it that people who need the most help won't take it?"

Norman: "I don't know"

Norman receives a letter of appointment as lecturer from the University of Chicago. The day before he is to travel there with Jessie, the police wake him up in the early hours of the morning. Paul has been tragically murdered. They had broken the bones of his right arm.

The father and mother never recovered from that pain. Years later we will hear Rev. McLean preach in church:

'Each one of us here today will, at one time in our lives look upon a loved one who is in need and asked the same question. "We are willing to help, Lord but what, if anything, is needed?"

It is true we can seldom help those closest to us. Either we don't know what part of ourselves to give or more often than not the part we have to give is not wanted. And so it is those who live with and should know who elude us, but we can still love them. We can love completely without complete understanding.'

The narration we hear at the opening scene of the film is that of an old man casting a line in a bigger river. That's Norman. Now in the end we again hear him. His concluding lines run thus:

"Eventually all things merge into one, and a River runs through It.

The river was cut by the world's great flood and runs over the rocks from the basement of time, and some of the rocks have timeless raindrops. Under the rocks are words, and some of the words are theirs:

"I am haunted by Waters"

••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••

The river is a prominent metaphor in this film. It is life, it is time, it is nature, it is the spiritual of the secular, it is love, it is grace. It has rhythm, it has music, it has words under it.

The fish too is an important metaphor. It's always there, mostly eluding, hiding, delving, slipping away. Once in a while one will show up only if you have patience.

Although Norman wanted to be a pastor like his father in his childhood, he adopted his father's literary taste. When sharing the story of his University appointment at the dinner table, his father proudly says: "I am pleased."

Even when life has struggles, when Paul proves that he is a fly-fisher in perfection, we hear his father's words with satisfaction: "You are a fine fisherman."

I believe, this father and his two sons take us to another story. One that was told by Jesus. Commonly we know it by the name, the parable of the prodigal son. There are small differences here. The elder son is not an intolerant one here. The younger son neither leaves physically nor returns. But the story is the same.

To tell the truth, I like this one even better. The father is pleased with the elder son. As for the younger one, he is painful love that never leaves the father.

He is beautiful. Because, "he is haunted by the waters"!

That's me. And perhaps you too.