Serenity

I love this word! It means the state or quality of being calm, tranquil, or serene. I was first drawn to this word about six years ago when I started watching the TV show Firefly. I fell in love with the characters on the show and loved the story line. I bought my own set of DVDs and since them have watched them more times than I can remember. The show is set five hundred years in the future which necessitates people exploring and braving the far ends of the known frontier. At the heart of the show, the spaceship Serenity becomes a character. I could go on and on and give you are review of the show, but I'm not going to do that. I want to tell you about my reaction to the movie.
The movie Serenity came out in 2005 and was long awaited by the fans. I was a senior in college, living out in the middle of no where. Two friends and I drove the hour and a half to Buffalo, NY where we met up with another friend. We went to a Lebanese restaurant for dinner, which was amazing and then on to the theatre. My friend who lived in Buffalo went to see it earlier that day so he knew the exact point scare me when the reaver suddenly jumped out. The experience was fun, sharing time with friends, but what stuck with me was the movie. I became so invested in the movie that for several minutes I didn't know if any of the characters were coming out of it alive. I love stories and I can usually predict something of the ending. I had no idea what the outcome of Serenity would be. I had a deep connection with the characters and when I left the theatre I didn't have anything to say. I had to mull it over in my mind. I bought the movie and have since watched it many times. For a while it was my packing movie. Although through many watchings and familiarity with the story I can still empathize with the characters and really imagine what it would have been like to be in their situation.
I love movies like this, movies that make you think. Stories that touch the soul and impart a truth of some kind. What stories have touched your life?