On our Christmas vacation, my sister kept all of our kids for a sleepover one night while Bryan & I went to see the Will Smith movie "The Pursuit of Happyness." Highly recommend it, and I'll try not to give away too much of the story here. I must say that a lot of the themes in this movie really hit home for both Bryan and me, though... some more than we'd like to admit.
Here are some of my thoughts (in random order):
- I was literally in a physical state of being stressed out for the entire duration of the film. No joke. Just ask Bryan. Go see the movie - you'll know what I mean.
- Mental toughness and resilience in life are paramount to success. Most people give up on their dreams way too soon. A wise friend once told me, "Circumstances don't make a man, they merely reveal him." This movie certainly confirms that concept. "Chris," the protagonist in this true story endures relentless trials, and of course has moments of weakness, but it is obvious that his heart is always striving toward a better life for his little boy.
- This film also reinforces the idea that money (or lack of money) doesn't make you a better person (or a worse one). Maybe having more money just magnifies the true character of a person. If you're generous with little (or frugal, or miserly, or happy - fill in the blank with any appropriate adjective you like), you'll be the same way when you have a lot, just on a grander scale.
- In America, we take so much for granted, and we rarely stop to think about the kind of situations that others might be going through...(or ask, or care, or help). Maybe those are two separate points. Especially in the corporate arena, people assume that everyone else has similar life circumstances, or only a "certain" kind of person can be a professional, or if you have a white-collar job, you live a comfortable lifestyle (or at least not below the poverty line). Unfortunately, that's not always the case. We need to keep our eyes open.
- I loved the way "Chris" always tried hard to present himself in a professional manner. It wasn't his reality, but a facade; although I think maybe it was not so much him being a phony as it was his way of visualizing himself in the position he was striving to achieve, (thereby causing others to see him that way and respond positively toward him). It was his way of believing in himself.
- I thought Bryan summed it up best when we were leaving the theater. His initial response to the movie was, "I will never look at a $5 bill the same way again." (You've got to see the movie to understand the real meaning of this comment. Sorry.)
- This was an inspirational story of a father's love. I see so many parallels to the love of God toward us. Jesus sacrificed everything to provide our salvation, to protect us from spiritual poverty, and to have a relationship with us. He fought for us. He did something that didn't make any sense (temporarily) in order to accomplish something that will last forever.
Have you seen "The Pursuit of Happyness"? What did you think? All I can say is when it comes out on DVD, I'll be the first in line.
