Merit.

Last weekend, I watched Million Dollar Baby.

If you haven't seen it, do.

I had no idea. I thought it was going to be a feel-good sports movie.

But I loved many things about it,

not least

the lines that punch you in the gut,

the unlikely and beautiful love,

the gravel in Clint Eastwood's voice.

Um, can you believe this man is over 80 years old?

I tried to think about why I loved it so much,

and I think I figured out what gives it merit.

I love the emotions that it grapples with.

It makes you feel real things,

things you would never want to feel,

things that we've all felt.

This picture of Morgan Freeman represents emotions. Obviously.

The experience is actually worth the time it takes to watch it,

and I think that is rare.