Coming of Age Can Come at Any Age

Just a few days ago my wife and I saw the recently released film, "Nim's Island." Trust me ... do yourself a favor and see this at least once ... if not twice.

A research scientist, Jack, lives with his 11-ish year old daughter, Nim, on a volcanic island in the middle of the South Pacific ... away from the public ... completely away ... well almost. They receive shipments occasionally and communicate with the scientific community and National Geographic via satalight. Early in the movie Jack launches out into a two day expedition, leaving Nim alone ... with her animal friends ... and adventure novel featuring legendary hero, Alex Rover. Think Jason Bourne with Indiana Jones's personality and swave. Well, maybe not Jason Bourne ... as the kicker with Alex Rover is his famous escapes from impossible predicaments. On the other side of the world Alex Rover ... the real Alex Rover ... Alexandra Rover is attempting to complete yet another novel in her long-running series.

While Jack is out at sea doing research a surprise monsoon hits, keeping him stranded with no communication back to Nim. Nim is left to fend for herself and her animals ... and her island. With Alex Rover as her archetype (the picture in her mind she's striving make reality for her life) she faces brave challenges with swash-buckling courage.

Meanwhile a monsoon hits of another variety. Alexandra Rover is past her deadline for turning in yet another novel ... and she is marooned on the island of writer's block. If she could only get out for a while, perhaps she could scavenge up some fresh ideas. However, Alexandra ... the mind behind Alex Rover ... suffers from some variety of agoraphobia and possibly obsessive-compulsive disorder. In other words due to the workings of her brain, mind, and heart, she is physically paralyzed by fear to leave her apartment. She fears germs. She fears any food but Progresso Soup. Some kind of "progress" huh?

At any rate Alexandra and Nim make contact. Alexandra, believing Nim to be in trouble gets brave and decides to go to her. Meanwhile, Nim, believing her island is under attack by modern-day pirates, decides to live the Alex Rover life and fend her island off from the "invaders" (who are really tourists from Australia on a Pirate-themed cruise. So while Nim is leading the swash-buckling life created by Alexandra ... Alexandra herself takes on swash-buckling courage just to turn the door knob of her front door.

One of the high points of the movie for me ... and there are many ... was seeing Nim and Alexandra (who does eventually make it, by the way) meet. Alexandra just about reaches the island, when her stolen row boat acquires a huge gash from some rocks. Nim, thinking Alexandra to be her still-missing father, swims out to save her from drowning. Once on the beach Alexandra informs Nim that she is the real Alex Rover.

Nim ... looking paternalistically and quite disappointingly at the frail and pathetic Alexandra ... is simply in disbelief. "No, Alex saves people. He doesn't need saving."

Yet over time Nim opens up her mind and heart to this wafe, who opened up her mind and heart to the wide world to come to her so that Nim would not be alone. Both females came of age, despite their age ... and backgrounds.

What a lesson for us in the church ... in particular those of us in dying, gray-haired, traditional churches. Jesus wants very badly for us to take him at his word and live a dangerous Christianity. There is still time, despite our ages and backgrounds, to come of age.

There are many other parallels and metaphors that could be discussed, which makes this movie so much richer in content, meaning, value, and values than what is normally put out by Hollywood. I'll be meditating on this movie for some time to come. Please, do yourself a favor and see this movie at least once ... if not twice ... if not thrice.