The Day After: Reflecting on the "Family Law" Premiere

The day after Christmas I find myself in a solemn mood as I pick up the torn wrappings and food crumbs from the party. That same mood permeates my soul after a premiere like last night. The overcast sky and this morning’s raindrops dripping from the leaves outside my window add to the mood.

It is not a bad mood or even a sad one, just very somber. The excitement is gone, yet the simple joys of life remain. I glance out my study window and watch the blue jay hop along a branch as streaks of sunlight break through the clouds and remind me how blessed I am.

One of those blessings comes in the form of Francine Locke, the person who threw the party last night. She not only produced the film, but also played the lead role and is nominated for best actress at the Gideon Film Festival. I hope she comes home with an award in a few weeks.

The premiere was filled with many laughs, hugs and thought provoking moments. Those attending included family, close friends, friends of friends, blog readers, filmmakers and actors from other shows, and church leaders. It was fun to chat with several afterwards and learn their thoughts about the film – a wide range of comments gave perspective to how various personalities relate to the characters in the film.

I was thrilled to be supported last night by my family. My mom, who had been in the hospital for the past two weeks, made a remarkably fast recovery and came to the premiere. She said she wasn’t going to let anything keep her away. My son Chris and his wife Sarah joined in the fun. My daughter Caitlyn and her friend came. And, my sister Linda was selected by Francine to draw a winning ticket for the “poor artist’s” raffle. My daughter Carolyn, who lives out in the Seattle area, wasn’t able to attend since she was just here for a visit a couple weeks ago – She was missed.

Several great friends showed up and I wish I had space to mention them all. Mary and Dennis came bearing a “Great Artist Award” (from the dollar store) to esteem me with their humorous, but genuine honor – It makes great blog artwork, but the uploading system is down today. Ron, who used to create Fortune 100 interactive videos with me in days gone by, drove a couple hours to join us and volunteered to help with marketing the film. Gabe, from the band of brothers I hang with, had a last second change in plans and brought his wife who I was happy to meet for the first time. Dan and Debbie Kreger, who have continually encouraged me to get my stories out, came with broad smiles and enough excitement to energize anyone they spoke with.

Unfortunately, the evening’s schedule conflicted with numerous other events, but I was happy to receive calls, text messages and emails of encouragement and regrets from those not able to attend.

My somber thoughts will slowly give way to the new chapter in my life that starts tomorrow. Life will bring about a new focus and steps will be made to move forward with new stories that can touch someone’s soul who needs encouragement. I hope my art can make a difference in someone’s life and gives a perspective that helps them embrace life regardless of the difficulties they may face.

I will never forget last night and will always treasure the cast and crew who made the film possible. More importantly, I hope that in the near future I might receive notes from viewers who were encouraged by the film – Little inspirations to encourage the cast and crew for their hard work.

The saddest part of last night was the closing out of the artistic side of the project, which now gives way to the marketing, sales and distribution part of filmmaking. The next few months will make the difference in our ability to complete the series of short films designed for family devotions, small group discussions and personal reflection.

So, on to the next chapter - He slowly turns the page with anticipation...