Going to the movies.

Going to the movies without someone is certainly a rare experience for me, especially being one of 3 people in the entire theatre - thank you Cape Cod winter living.  I hadn't gone to a movie alone since I was in college years ago.  It was pretty awesome practically having the theatre to myself.

I picked the movie "Up in the Air," found the closest theatre and headed on my way.  I was excited to take a break from my every day living.  I don't usually go to movies.
When the film was over, I was a bit stunned.  If you haven't seen this movie, you might not get the irony of the the choice I made, but I'll try to explain.  It's rather shocking how the stars can collide sometimes.

For those of you that don't know me that well, I travel for work, spending 180 - 225 nights a year in hotel rooms, similar to George Clooney's character's life.  It can be a lonely job at times, but as he says, I'm not "isolated, I'm surrounded!"  For me, relationships beyond my family haven't been very prominent in my current lifestyle.  6 months out of the year, I travel from city to city within the US on a weekly basis while rapidly adding to my hotel elite membership and airline mileage.  It's a game, but includes no one for me to play with.  

The message I got from this movie was that most memories we hold on to include other people, that living in hard times is easiest to survive with loved ones beside us and that human life is only fulfilled when we have someone to share it with.  The film discusses the reason for the existence of marriage, the desire to have love in our lives and the ability to create true beauty within ourselves thanks to the help we receive from those around us.  Without it, we have little to live for...  Heavy stuff.
The irony for me is that not only have I been living a solitary lifestyle for the past 7 years and debating whether it's enough for me to get by or if I need people in my life to share it with, but also that I have now challenged myself to go to a movie on my own and the movie I have chosen tells me how important it is to share my life experiences with others.  Seriously?!!

Would I go to a movie alone again?  Yes.  Although, I would have liked to have had someone to talk to about the film.  It was great to put away my cell phone and forget the monotonous life for 2 hours.  

I'm thankful to have fulfilled this challenge.  And greatly appreciate the irony.  It has changed my perspective on my life.  I realize what I want to live for.  I just needed this last push to get me there.  I'm still processing how to prepare myself for the next 6 months of travel.
Any thoughts?