The Fountain of God

So, I watched The Fountain. This is a movie from 2006 that stars Hugh Jackman as a scientist (among other things) and Rachel Weisz as his wife (and Queen Isabel). The conflict is that Izzi, the wife, has terminal cancer and the scientist/husband is trying to find a cure before she dies. It is a tragic story and a desperate search.

There are some complicating factors to this movie. Izzi is writing a story about Queen Isabel's search for the Edenic Tree of Life. Izzi's story is a different take on the quest for the fountain of youth. The one who finds this tree will control youth, life and more for eternity. Whenever Tom, the scientist- husband reads the story that his wife is writing, he puts himself in the story. His cancer-stricken wife becomes the queen, while Tom becomes her servant on the search.

There is also an unusual third story in which Tom becomes an astronaut in some future world. His space ship resembles a Christmas snow globe and he has no hair. But once again, he is consumed with the search for life, a cure for what killed, or is killing his wife.

It is sometimes difficult to sort out these stories, but they have one unifying theme: People do not want to die. There is a constant search for life among humans. If you need evidence of this, you need look no further than the proliferation of breast augmentation, bariatric and cosmetic surgeries. There are pills to make you more manly or perform more frequently. There are creams and lotions to minimize the effects of aging on the skin. All of these products and procedures are a quest for the fountain of life.

But, that is not all it is. In essence, our desire to live, to be young and to prosper are often just misplaced attempts to find God. Every human has one basic need. We spend our lives looking for ways to fulfill that need. We use drinks and substances to try to meet the need. We change careers, spouses, homes and cars to try to meet this most basic need. We have mid-life crises because we have not fulfilled the need. And when we realize that our life is passing us by and we still have not met this need, we try to extend our lives.

Now, try this on for size. The emptiness that you are trying to fill is the lack of God in your life. A relationship with God will make a terrific difference for you. This relationship has nothing to do with church, or rules and regulations. It is about getting your emotional life in line with God himself. That, my friend, is the Fountain of Youth, the Tree of Life.