Life As A Boomerang

Throw it out there, just don’t let it hit you in the face.

Letter from David Benaym, Editor in Chief

As I entered the iMAX theater in uptown Manhattan, privileged enough to attend the premiere of Martin Scorsese’s passion project, Shine a Light, a documentary/concert featuring The Rolling Stones, I had no idea the impact the film would have on my perception of everyday relationships and even general public interaction. Self-image, where it comes from and what outside factors affect it, suddenly became a topic for much introspection. I wouldn’t classify myself as a fan of The Stones at all; I am familiar with only a few of their songs – I can’t seem to ‘get no satisfaction’ from them. Needless to say, my first thought about experiencing an entire concert of theirs in a movie theater left me craving a bed to catch up on those extra hours of sleep I never seem to get.

Cut to inside the theater with me, eyes wide open, jaw on the floor, looking like Wile E. Coyote’s brother. I can still envision myself watching the giant screen. But wait — how is that possible? I obviously never saw myself watching it in third person, yet somehow this is how I remember the scene. We always imagine the moments we lived to be totally different than what we actually experienced. For instance as I was watching, I immediately thought about the ‘Letter From the Editor’ you are currently reading. In a way, this awareness altered my experience of the movie itself.

As I continue to grow within, and constantly learn about life and its uncertainties, I realize how much my mind can trick me with pre-established ideas about everything. We live according to examples and references instead of merely living in the moment. Watching Jagger and Richards bounce around like teenagers defied the idea that I know they are in their sixties. The way they dedicate themselves to the stage, their guitars, their talent, for this rare and unique feeling of personal ’satisfaction’ left me inspired in a way I didn’t anticipate when I walked into the theater.

This issue is dedicated to those who succeed and evolve for themselves while being able to give genuinely. Whether it is to a friend, a loved one or an entire audience, the gift of giving will reward each and every one of those with a true heart, and with talent. You never know how the boomerang will get back to you, or who it is going to pass along the way. What matters is how you sent it.

DB

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