There was a good deal of speculation before this film started as to whether the title was literal and we would be seeing an exotic movie with lots of Middle Eastern footage, or whether it was a metaphor. However, the group figured out within the first five minutes that it's a long way from the cypresses of Orlando, Florida, to Cairo, and that the lead character didn't seem inclined by age or temperament to make the trip. Therefore, we gracefully turned our attention toward the development of the movie's themes, which turned out to have a lot to do with the power of love and faith, as well as the power of the ideas we have about ourselves and others.

The questions started arising immediately, and the first and most extensively discussed question was #2. Several people talked about the ways in which our parents had taught us to keep a "stiff upper lip" and not expose our vulnerability to others, as well as the effect this habit had on us as we developed into adults. In fact, one person said that keeping a stiff upper lip for long periods of time was so uncomfortable that that's what eventually launched him into his own personal growth and exploration (as in Question #6).

Many theories were advanced as to why our parents taught us this "stiff upper lip" view of life as we were growing up. One person felt it was about control; another about social acceptance; another about a desire to protect us from having unproductive lives. A long and fruitful discussion emerged in which we shared our experiences of being taught to "stuff it," and talked about the changes that happened in our own lives as we started to express ourselves more fully. We also touched briefly on Question #8, because unconditional love has helped us feel more safe and able to express our real selves.

Here are the questions:

1. How many relationships have I missed in my life because of my preconceived notions of myself?

2. What strategies have I used to keep people from seeing my vulnerability?

3. How has the realization of my mission (or lack of it) affected me?

4. How does feeling grounded help my spirit be free?

5. How has my distrust of others affected my willingness to reach out to them?

6. When has something touched me so deeply that I feel I had to act on it?

7. How has my faith in goodness (or my lack of it) affected me?

8. How has unconditional love inspired me?

9. How do I feel about powerful women? About powerful men?

(Commentary by Elaine Dove)

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