Maria Elena's Theory

Unable to sleep last night, I decided to take in a film, Vicky Christina Barcelona, a charming tale from the mind of Woody Allen. It is the story of two friends who spend their summers abroad and the unexpected journey that will ensue. While possessing drastically different outlooks on life, love and happiness, both end up falling for the same guy, a painter named Juan Antonio, played by Javier Bardem. Barcelona offers a crisp, refreshing, whimsical look into its characters' lives, the decisions they will or will not make, and also just what it really is that makes them tick. And yes, those were the same adjectives used to describe a recent salad I ordered.

Now, I'm not trying to start writing movie reviews here, but perhaps midway through the movie, Maria Elena, (in an Oscar winning role played by Penelope Cruz), brings up a theory that got me thinking. Maria Elena is the ex-wife of Juan Antonio, and she has recently come back to live with him after a suicide attempt. She is what one might call, loco en la cabeza. This may not sound too far-fetched, however Juan Antonio is currently living with his new love interest, Christina, played by Scarlett Johanssen. Christina plays the free spirit, the nomad, the character eternally in search of something more. Christina's best practice is to live in the moment.

While Maria Elena and Juan Antonio could not previously coexist peacefully, the addition of Christina has created a fresh new world in which they all live. At first we think this is exactly the situation Christina has been longing for; although struggling with her own art, she has been able to compliment theirs; adding a tint to an existing canvas, creating this beautiful color that otherwise would not appear. It seems to be a match made in heaven, a threesome that perfectly compliments one other.

As time passes, Christina realizes that she no longer wants to be a part of this so-called threesome. Upon confronting the two, Maria Elena flies into a fit of rage. You see, Maria Elena and Juan Antonio are both creative, passionate souls and this period has brought out something never before found in their lives. After going off on a tangent in Spanish, Maria Elena shouts at Christina, "Chronic dissatisfaction! Chronic dissatisfaction, that's what you have. You will never be happy...!" Perhaps this loses a little in translation...

While things seemed to be going so well, Christina once again new she had to pack her things. This is the point where I began to ponder this theory of chronic dissatisfaction. As we all know, I have chosen to take this sabbatical primarily due to unhappiness in past jobs. Now I haven't been unhappy in all of them, but it brings me to wonder if I possess chronic dissatisfaction. Will I never be happy with what I have or don't have? Will I always have the "grass is always greener" attitude? Will there ever be a job that will make me jump out of bed in the morning?

I warned you I was getting deep during this time off.

As these questions weigh on my mind, I realize that, this is just a movie. Sure, there is a basic fear of the unknown, of never being happy, but I can't let that fear control my life. As touched on in previous posts, I'm sure many people are happy out there with their jobs, with their lives. I believe it's all about the proper balance between the two. Your life can't be 100% about work, nor can it be 100% about play, (and by play I included family, friends, vacations, hobbies, etc). While obviously family and happiness is life's primary focus, a job/career is the vehicle in which to achieve and contribute to their success. And success is a very broad term, but I have to define the term in this case as to mean total consciousness, being at peace with yourself and your decisions, and being able to provide a happy and healthy lifestyle for your family.

In closing, let's hope Maria Elena's theory of chronic dissatisfaction is one that only thrives in films by Woody Allen, not in films by Mr. Utley...