C.S. Lewis was surprised by joy.

Our generation is surprised by half-naked blue aliens.

CNN recently published an article about the surprising response many people have experienced to the movie Avatar:

“James Cameron’s completely immersive spectacle ‘Avatar’ may have been a little too real for some fans who say they have experienced depression and suicidal thoughts after seeing the film because they long to enjoy the beauty of the alien world Pandora.”

Lewis described similar feelings in his spiritual autobiography Surprised by Joy and in his allegorical work The Pilgrim’s Regress.  Perhaps the best summary of this sentiment, however, is found in his book Till We Have Faces, where he commented,

“If I find in myself a desire which no experience in this world can satisfy, the most probable explanation is that I was made for another world.”

In response to the sense of longing for a joy that the world cannot satisfy Lewis looked to Heaven.

Where are you looking?

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To read the CNN article in its entirety click here.