Friday, May 30, 2014

Never. Gets. Old.

Some days just call for a burst of inspiration to get the blood flowing. Maybe the day gets mired in deadlines, frustrations, setbacks, misunderstandings, and plain ol' fashioned bad juju. It happens. It happens to all of us. We each find our ways to cope, our ways to coax ourselves out of the funk. A two-hour escape into the screen (cinema or television) with a favorite selection is a sure way for my attitude to crawl out of the ooze that is a bad day. Each speaks a lesson to me. Each one never gets old. Sometimes, all I need to do is watch certain scenes to receive that all-important attitude adjustment.

1. The Tango Scene, Scent of a Woman (1992). The brilliant Al Pacino plays a blind man, who, in this scene, dances a tango with a stranger. Who would not want to be in this scene? Pacino explains that there are no mistakes. If you get all tangled up, you tango on.

2. A Barbaric YAWP, Dead Poets Society (1989). Ethan Hawke plays an introverted student at a boarding school where he encounters an unconventional teacher, played by Robin Williams. Hawke is begrudgingly pulled to the front of the classroom to recite a poem, pushed by Williams, and in the pushing, Hawke reveals his hidden creativity.

3. Rooftop scene, Eat Pray Love (2010). Richard Jenkins plays the unlikely philosopher, Richard from Texas, as he tells his story to Liz Gilbert, played by Julia Roberts. Sometimes, even the most lost person can see their mistakes and try to find forgiveness. We all have a story, and those who have earned the right to hear our story, should listen. Every story, and every person, has value.

4. Not Enough Rocks scene, Forrest Gump (1992). Jenny (Robin Wright) and Forrest (Tom Hanks) have been friends since childhood. On a leisurely walk one day, they pass Jenny's childhood home, a place of bad memories for her. It's good to have a friend who knows the rough parts of you and is willing to sit with you until the pain goes away.

5. Death Crawl scene, Facing the Giants (2006). A football movie for all to enjoy because of the great motivation it gives. In this scene, a disheartened player is challenged to a seemingly insurmountable task. Everyone needs a coach like this. If you don't have one, keep this guy's voice in your head.

6. Swordboat Captain scene, The Perfect Storm (2000). George Clooney plays Billy Tyne, a swordboat captain out of Gloucester, Massachusetts, who was unfortunately lost at sea. This scene, shared with actress Mary Mastrantonio, reminds us to find something to love and do it with passion. Capt. Billy Tyne knew what he was meant to do in life, and that was to spend his life on the sea. Find the passion in your life and give it everything you have.

These scenes remind me of some important lessons in life. What does it for you? What gives you a boost? What is your go-to for staying on track?

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