September Reflection

Last night several of us assembled at Ruth S.'s for a Reflection on "Forgiveness," led by Remi. We read quotes on the topic from several major religious traditions and also an analysis of forgiveness.

The discussion was quite interesting. Some of us have encountered situations where it is hard to forgive. There's clearly a distinction between "forgiving" and "forgetting," and even if we do forgive we agreed that we have a right to protect ourselves by leaving a hurtful relationship.

Some of us have also been on the other side of the forgiveness issue, having done something another person finds it hard to forgive us for. That's also an uncomfortable spot to be in.

This was a thoughtful and insightful evening, and many thanks to Remi for leading the discussion. Thanks also to Ruth S. for hosting!

"Odd Man Out"

On Friday evening, September 11th, several BHC members met at the Film Forum in Greenwich Village for a screening of the 1947 film, "Odd Man Out." This was a recently restored version of Carol Reed's film, starring James Mason, Robert Newton and Kathleen Ryan. It was stunning on a big screen, stark black and white, with a beautiful soundtrack.

Afterwards, we stopped at a small eatery that featured paninis, espresso, and Italian desserts. Our discussion of the film centered around the way various people reacted to Mason's character, Johnny McQueen. Johnny was the chief of the local branch of the IRA (though it was never stated in the movie, it was obvious that this was the "organization" everyone spoke of). When he was wounded and left behind by his mates in a robbery intended to raise funds for the cause, he encountered many people who recognized him and reacted to him in a variety of ways. Most, sadly, were out for what they could get from him rather than willing to help him as a fellow human being.

The fact that he had killed a man during the robbery put him over a line, as the priest says. But the killing was accidental, and in fact Johnny is troubled and afraid that he has killed. No one takes this into account. Instead, some try to turn him in, others want to use him for the reward, for heavenly brownie points, or for "art."

The discussion was fascinating and the company was excellent. This was our second "BHC Movie Night" and we're hoping for many more.

2nd Anniversary Celebration

On August 23rd we held our second anniversary celebration at Taze, a Turkish restaurant in Brooklyn Heights. The food was delicious and we had an excellent turnout, 23 of us!

Our President, Tony, said a few words to honor Dr. Kurt Johnson, who has gifted us with his thought-provoking Reflections on a monthly basis.

We're heading into a third year that should see us become a full fledged 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, and we are attracting guest speakers of stature. We're also beginning to reach out to other organizations and partner with them to produce joint programs.

Onward!