“I don’t like people who have never fallen or stumbled. Their virtue is lifeless and it isn’t of much value. Life hasn’t revealed its beauty to them.”

Today is the birthday of Boris Pasternak, who is unquestionably most well known for his novel Dr. Zhivago, which is better known as the 1965 film* starring Julie Christie and Omar Sharif.

I first discovered Zhivago during “the blizzard of 93.” This three day storm (March 12-15) crippled much of the Northeast part of the nation. Locally, it meant that I was literally stuck in my apartment, unable to pull my car out of the carport for three days. Local officials ordered the closing of all “non-essential” businesses, and because I was in my twenties…a grad student…I had little food (or perhaps, more significantly, not enough cigarettes) in my apartment.

I was fortunate that “non-essential” businesses didn’t include the corner convenience store. So in the middle of the blizzard, I suited up in my parka and boots, and I walked the half mile to the store to stock up on frozen pizzas and smokes. While I was there, I decided I might as well grab a video. I chose Dr. Zhivago for two reasons: it was long; it was one of the few films left at the store that I’d even consider watching.

After an hour’s walk, I shook the snow off, popped a pizza into the oven, put Zhivago into the VCR, and I fell in love with Yuri, Lara, Tonya, and even, to some extent, Pasha. As soon as the film ended, I immediately picked up the novel (which I happened to have purchased at an all-the-books-you-can-fit-in-a-bag-for-50-cents sale at my local Salvation Army store) and began reading.

I love Zhivago because it takes a complicated historical era and presents it in a complicated way. Yuri and Lara find each other, despite both having married and being truly in love with their childhood sweethearts, out of need and fear and longing. There are no clear villains or no clear heroes. Each and every character is beautiful and flawed and significant…just like real people. Each and every choice is multi-level and resonating…just like real choices. There is loss and sacrifice and pain and love, which are, of course, the hallmarks of the human condition.

It’s only February 10th, and if you live in the Northeast, we’re bound to get some more snow, so grab a copy of Pasternak’s novel or the DVD or both, and get ready to be moved beyond expectation and simplicity.

 [*A few years ago, PBS remade Zhivago, and while the PBS version is more true to the novel, I simply couldn't handle a blonded Kiera Knightly as Lara. She's too physically insubstantial to embody such an iconic character. And also, the PBS remake lacks the cinematic brilliance of David Lean's 1965 materpiece.]