People like us

I watched a very insightful movie yesterday titled, People like us. While watching, it dawned upon me how we tend to run away from things when they seem to get a little complicated. Our best mechanism is holding still and then harbouring the hurt. What I most liked from the movie was never giving up this search for our true selves. If we think and believe in something that feels right to us morally, we should do it. And Family always accepts you, no matter what happens. 

So there are these rules that an uncle tells his young nephew which were told to him by his now deceased father. I like the interpretation of them in the movie and definitely think they could help us cinema-goers too, outside the cinema house, in our lives.

“The six rules of life.

1. Don't like something just because you think other people will like it, because they won't. 

2. What you think is important isn't. What you think is unimportant is. 

3. Lean into it. 

4. Don't shit where you eat. 

5. Most doors are closed so if you want them to open, you need a cool knock. 

6. Your mom(family) will always listen to you.” 

I think it's pretty nice to derive a certain sense of belonging from watching a movie. Very often we tend to emotionally hang onto movies for an outlet against everyday living. I do it. They say Art imitates life and vice versa. We are wasting our time being held up by the confines of a few boundaries we've set for ourselves. 

We may as well wish to cut free against obligations, expectations, delusions- everything that bind us to imaginary happenings that plague most of our living time. Let's just be honest with our self and ask if this is how we must spend a minute more against an impending sense of chaos that fills our existence so dramatically. Take a deep breath. Think for a moment. Think hard. My Dad says there's always a next time. I have believed him all my life. There indeed are chances and opportunities available aplenty when we decide not to run from them. Sometimes, seizing one can be very scary. Anyone can get frightened over the unexpected, the unknown. But life is everything about moving into the unnamed territories. How else will we claim our passions otherwise? Not knowing what lies ahead can be such a good thing at times. 

I have been reading a lot of varied literature these past few days. Also, today I tried my hand for the very first time on some basic embroidery skills. It is unlike me to indulge into something that requires coordination of hands and eyes because I feel I am such a klutz when it comes to handmade things. But proving myself wrong gives me a huge ego boost and of course, always is a greater inspiring force within me. It reminds me constantly that however low I think of my capability to start something new, I will always surprise myself with my efficiency. I like this part about me the most. It gives great solace to know one's strengths. Too often, we are so busy manufacturing hatred towards our weaknesses that we forget to look at the brighter side of our abilities. As much as I like Sylvia Plath for writing- “I have the choice of being constantly active and happy or introspectively passive and sad. Or I can go mad by ricocheting in between.” Let us not berate ourselves any more for failures. Let's focus on accomplishments that celebrate the doing instead of the winning. All of us are alike in our failures and fears, in our joys and misery. Let's not be too hard upon ourselves. Live life one day at a time. Peace is ours. Amen.