Marvin V. Acuna

I had lunch with a friend today, an old friend. We’ve known eachother for about 14 years. He’s about 25 years older than I am, but he always tends to appear in my life just when he’s meant to. Though we’ve known eachother for 14 years I probably only see him about once or twice a year. Sometimes it’s lunch sometimes it’s a hike in his neck of the woods, Simi Valley. 

He saved my ass on my first solo production. It was a disaster. I still recall what he said to me as if it were yesterday. Across the table at lunch, he simply said “now you know how not to make a film, the next one will be so much better.” He smiled and asked me to pass the bread.

On another occassion, about 10 years ago, he invited me for a hike one Saturday morning. It was one of my first big hikes so we agreed to park one car at the entrance of the trail and one car at the very end of the trail. It was fun. We spoke about life and had lunch at the top. We sat there and simply enjoyed the sun as it gently kissed our faces. It was peaceful.

Eventually we began the descent towards the exit. We had parked my car there. About 75% down the hike a thought raced into my mind.  I’d left MY car keys in HIS car. He roared with laughter and simply turned around to begin the hike back to his car.  He’s taught me alot.

At lunch today, I mentioned that one of his email exchanges to me, as we were attempting to set our lunch, included the phrase…God is Good. What inspired that I asked?

He said that as he enters the last phase of his life a few things have become very important to him. His health and his spirituality. He’s lost tremendous weight and looks awesome. He bikes 24 miles every Sunday.

As far as spritituality, he spoke about a weekend away that was profound. He chose not to speak of the specific details, but he said that in the end he concluded that our only purpose is to Love, just love.

Huh, on Sunday I read a book that used the analogy of a castle to illustrate unconditional selflove, I said.

It asked the reader to imagine that each room in this magnificent castle represented a different aspect of themselves, but when others began visiting our castle and offered their opinions about our rooms, which ones they liked and which they didn’t, we began to lock the doors to those rooms that others didn’t like.

It went on to suggest that many of us locked away so many of our rooms that we forgot we were ever a castle. We begin to believe that we’re simply a two bedroom condo and some people even believe that they are a studio apartment.

He immediately jumped in and said, “I’ve seen the castle!” All the doors opened on that weekend. It was amazing. My heart opened up. It’s sooo big. How’s it going I said?

I’m trying to keep those doors open. I fail everyday. But, I try everyday too!

Lunch wrapped and we headed out. He extended his hand to say goodbye. I reached out and gave him a big hug. Then he said, “I love you”.

It was a great lunch.