As the plot progresses, the musician becomes less and less of a mere story opportunity to the reporter. He wants to help him, but when he tries to do so, it seems to backfire. At this point, Lopez is talking with his ex-wife about his frustrating dilemma of trying to fix things, at least make them better, make a difference.

Their conversation goes something like this (though not verbatim, sorry):

Lopez: I’m just trying to help.

Mary: You can’t fix all of L.A., Steve. You can’t cure him. But you can be his friend. You can keep showing up.

And that’s what he does. He shows up. The movie has no conclusive feel, no sensation of tying up the loose ends. The musician, Ayers, isn’t cured of his problems, mental or otherwise. But he has a friend.

Watching this movie brought up feelings that I really started to experience during the spring semester. For whatever reason, my eyes started to open more and more to the true magnitude of suffering in the world. I had experienced pain of my own, and witnessed it here and abroad. But maybe what really started dawning on me was how much there was of it. A sense of responsibility for it and a sense of hopelessness for it was birthed in me simultaneously.

Amidst the craze of activity and schoolwork, this thing throbbed in my head all semester. I went to the Rescue with Invisible Children and part of me wondered what it was that we were accomplishing, other than raising awareness and funds. I’ve had several conversations with friends about whether or not it’s even worthwhile to try to help people across the globe, especially when your neighbor is hurting, too.

I know I can’t cure the whole world. Shoot, I can’t cure a single person. I mean, I know Who can, but that still leaves me with responsibility of action. And where to act? And how? I don’t feel at this point that He’s calling me away towards something in this direction (of what? Activism? Social work? )…I don’t even know what that would be. Maybe someday. 

I guess right now, I’m focusing on doing what I can, where I can. I guess what I’ve decided for myself is to show up. To be a friend. To share love. And God knows it’s hard sometimes, all the time. (And frankly, I suck at it. No, really, I do. I know my own heart. ) But I want to do things with the opportunities that I’ve found, with things like Invisible Children, Falling Whistles, One, To Write Love on Her Arms, and the rest of the myriad of sometimes-too-trendy organizations that have been thrown my way.

My head still spins with wanting to solve everything more conclusively, and I struggle with thinking that this is not enough, and that maybe I am doing this just because it is a cool, right thing to do. (read this for more insight into this thought process. It's worth the read) But for now, it’s my way of showing up.

Other than that, I will attempt to let Christ work through me to love the people around me: my friends, my family, my classmates, and my new residents in the fall. My prayer is that the treasure of His love will fill this broken shard of pottery to the measure—and overflow to His glory. (2 Cor. 4 & Eph 3)

I fail at this. All the time. Every day. But I also hope for His grace to be sufficient, and His power to be made perfect in my weaknesses. (2 Cor. 12:9)

Now if only I can figure out how to actually accomplish this in my life.

Anyways. Here are a few amazing quotes that have contributed to my thinking and feeling, but that I am not clever enough to incorporate smoothly:

“If God’s description of what true praise constitutes is a ‘living praise,’ and if a ‘living praise’ is to embody the things that God is concerned with…a responding to the covering of our fall by Christ…a flesh of the concerns of God, then our living must bring rescue from the trampling boot. Justice will be our concern because it is God’s concern. And what is it that causes this to well up in us? It is His unrelenting love. This is praise—taking care of everyone in time of need. It is picking up those who are marginalized and whose voices are unheard and saying, “Look! Look!” Not in calculated ways to improve our perceived spiritual standing but because it is in us. His unrelenting love has consumed us and when we see need there seems no alternative but to respond to the fluid movements of this redeeming covering on Christ. To feel color flood back in and our heart lift from the ground with soaring dreams of the very living, breathing kingdom of God under our feet.” –David Crowder, Praise Habit

"Don Miller says we're called to hold our hands against the wounds of a broken world, to stop the bleeding. I agree so greatly. 

We often ask God to show up. We pray prayers of rescue. Perhaps God would ask us to be that rescue, to be His body, to move for things that matter. He is not invisible when we come alive. I might be simple but more and more, I believe God works in love, speaks in love, is revealed in our love…We are only asked to love, to offer hope to the many hopeless. We don't get to choose all the endings, but we are asked to play the rescuers. We won't solve all mysteries and our hearts will certainly break in such a vulnerable life, but it is the best way. We were made to be lovers bold in broken places, pouring ourselves out again and again until we're called home." 
   --Jamie Tworkowski, To Write Love on Her Arms