Peter Pan

Peter Pan grows up and discovers there’s no place to land.  ~  The Psychiatrist, The Thomas Crown Affair

There’s a movie – a remake actually – of a successful executive who can’t find the thrill in life anymore.  He has accumulated so much wealth that he can buy or do anything he pleases.  In order to quench his thirst for adventure and excitement, he steals a rather famous painting from a prominent art museum.  This seemingly elaborate heist, all done with smoke and mirrors, goes down without so much as wrinkling to his custom, French cuff shirt or an unwanted crease in his impeccable suit.  In the end, it all turns out to be a bit of a farce as the priceless piece of art has never really left the museum, but has been in essence hiding in plain sight.

But of course, the movie isn’t about the caper or even about the painting.  It is about the relationship that develops between this high-class burglar and the insurance investigator, a sexy, intelligent and equally cunning woman who also spends her life thrill seeking.  The story is really about two people cut from the same cloth – looking for the unexpected and unable to stand still long enough to allow themselves to appreciate their above average life and their budding attraction.  He is of course the embodiment of Peter Pan while she is that unattainable goddess, impervious to emotion and unavailable for love.  What happens of course is the stuff of Hollywood, but as some of us who have met our own Peter Pan know it can sometimes be the stuff of real-life. The question becomes then, what do those of us that fall for Peter Pan do?

Some of us perhaps attempt to be his counter part – doing our best to never really grow up either.  The problem however is that this becomes frustrating and unfulfilling, as it is inevitable that two juveniles will eventually have to come to some common ground.  Common ground unfortunately is about compromise, compassion and empathy.  Children as we all know, have a hard time with these.  So truly, it is not about what to do when one has fallen for Peter Pan, but instead realizing that the moment we get what we wish for and Peter Pan actually does “grow up”, will he no longer be attractive?