"That's life all around, isn't it? A series of random, though sometimes VERY predictable, events, situations and people you cannot control, sometimes leading you to where you desire to go and towards what you want to experience and, sometimes...most DEFINITELY NOT!" This thought flashed into my mind today as I was remembering the film, The English Patient. For those of you unfamiliar with the film, and from the few details I remember myself, the story line hinges, largely, on a pilot who has been found after his plane crashed in the Sahara (for a synopsis of this movie go to: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0116209/plotsummary )
Most of the story is told in flashback sequences of this pilot before his fateful crash. In fact, from what I recall the protagonist was actually a map maker and explorer. During his charting and exploration of the Sahara, at the time of World War II, he is led into what seems to be a labyrinth of love, betrayal, politics and, ultimately death. In essence, the film is about the choices, events and situations of his life and the experiences he has with the people in and surrounding his live and the events and situations which involve these people. Are you still with me?
In other words, it beats me why this film suddenly popped into my mind today. I am not currently a movie 'buff'. However, I think it was one of those somewhat intuitive moments that I sometimes experience alerting me to remember certain essential truths about life, in general. As much as we would all like to 'know'...we never KNOW. Sure, we may all start off on a certain fixed path with a fairly certain fixed plan and with many people around us who have certain VERY FIXED views about us, views which some of these people try, even forcefully, to make each of us adhere to VERY stenuously and THEN, life takes a turn. Fate throws a curve ball. Something changes. WE change. And although some of us might not like to admit as much or accept these possibilities, often these very statements ring true!
For my part, once many of these 'truths' about life began to reveal themselves to me in my own life, I learned to let go, live and let live. Sure, there are some situations in which I speak out in an attempt to correct what is causing me distress, but in doing so I am fully aware that I may or may not be heard or, further more, respected for my point of view. I am still seeking people who think this way in my own life. Maybe this blog will inspire them to come forward. LOL Some things can seemingly be 'under control' for a time...but, largely, this is just an illusion.
But why despair? Why treat this as a burden? Why get annoyed? Sad? Angry? Why lament in the ever pervasive, "Why me?" Why try endlessly to get someone else to carry this 'load' of disappointment that YOU feel because YOUR vision, of life, of them, of how you thought you understood the situation, was not fulfilled when YOU wanted it to be...or not at all? There are endless possibilities and each of us has the choice of which possibility or path to follow and, consequently, which detour, backtrack or even roadblock to respect on our journey. And...such is life.
I must also give credit to the Amazing Race, this week, for opening my mind enough to be receptive to these refelctions. LIFE, oh life, oh liiiiiiiife...
Nicole
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