May I Be Frank

I got some BEAUTIFUL hugs tonight. On top of everything else, I got some beautiful hugs at one of the greatest events I've ever attended.

This evening Heather and I drove out to the Rose Temple Venice Beach to attend a screening of a movie called May I Be Frank. I found out about this through Jason Mraz's blog. He has a song in the movie and fully endorses the film as "an amazing gift." He was right. The film is a low budget documentary of a man named Frank over 42 days as he transforms his body, mind, and soul through a lifestyle change that involves a raw foods diet, holistic medicine, positive affirmations, yoga, forgiveness, letting go, and a cleansing of his spirit. It starts when Frank walked into Cafe Gratitude in San Francisco one day and a young worker there named Ryland asked him, "what is one thing you want to do before you die?" And Frank said. "I want to fall in love one more time. But no one will love me looking the way I do." So Ryland and his friends take him on as a project and you get to see it all raw, real, funny, painful, INSPIRING, brilliant, and loving. There was so much love in this movie. I felt proud of Frank for working hard and felt happy there are people in this world with hearts of gold. I saw all kinds of pieces of myself and in the end felt so motivated to just keep on trying to live my best.

Watch.

There was a bout 200 people there, in this room of believers. I felt very much in my element. We clapped through it, laughed, and cried. The movie showcased some gorgeous souls and promoted a true belief in love, positivity, possibility, and beauty. Jason wrote a song for the movie called What Would Love Do and played it live as the credits rolled. After it was done Frank himself came out onstage with Ryland, both of them with beaming smiles and pure hearts. They did a question and answer session and as Frank talked it was clear that he surely did fall in love again. He fell in love with himself. My favorite question asked was by a teenage boy who stood up and said that he spent the year applying to colleges and filling out forms to be read by people who would judge him and that something about that just isn't right, it should be about growth like this, inspiration, and about gratitude. With a shaky voice and tears in his eyes he openly gave one of the most genuine thank yous I have heard and asked Frank for a hug. Beautiful moment. It was amazing to watch this positivity build.

When it was over Heather and I hung out for a bit and I got to meet and thank Frank and got a warm hug from him. It is truly something to see him as a severely unhealthy man in the beginning of them film and then face a vibrant human being so full of compassion. I met Ryland also who is this absolutely beautifully happy human being, hugging everyone like a brother. I was especially taken by his presence in the film, he's one of those people who are just magnetic, and to remember that and the beauty of the movie I asked him for an affirmation. He wrote down, "I am the one." Thank you.

Of course I wanted to talk to Jason. We've met on 2 other occasions but it's been about 3 years since then and I was curious to see if he would remember me at all. He was standing outside on Rose St. and when I approached him he looked at me and smiled.

"Tell me your name again?" he said. Yessss he remembered!!!

He gave me a nice hug and I told him that since the last time we talked I've been around the world nearly twice and through all my travels his I've felt like his song I'm Yours is following me around. It's everywhere, and I started making these mental notes everytime I heard it.... on a train in Hong Kong, at a kebab restaurant in Bordeaux, on a beach in Bali.... and that each time it's a nice reminder of home, and whenever I'd hear it I would take it as a good sign and smile. I told him about recording an album in India and gave him a copy, and like with Ryland I asked him to write down a good quote or encouraging saying to put up in my new apartment. So on a piece of paper he wrote "There is only love. Everything else is our resistance to it." He said it's one of his personal favorites and that he has that posted up in his home as a reminder.

I just love that this movie exists. It is a voice that contributes to forward moving positive change, and shows that through the potential of one human being. We ALL have it. We do. Be Love.