I had an eye opener this past week, which is currently helping me change my perspective on life and all my struggles.
What opened my eyes? Click! Yes a movie. And yes, I know many may think it was a dumb movie, but to me, it's a good movie with a good message. If you haven't seen it, "Spoiler Alert" as I will be briefly discussing the plot.
With struggles in my scheduling at school and how work has been going lately, I've wanted to just skip through all of the struggle and go directly to where I am graduated, certified as an interpreter, and successful in my profession and occupation. All issues resolved and with enough time for my family and means to do all that we desire.
Sound familiar? If not, well that is the exact plot of the movie. Adam Sandler plays a man who is trying to improve in his life through his career and trying to do everything possible to reach a high level so that his family can have everything. With lot's of setbacks, he looks for a break of the struggles and that is where he comes in contact with the remote. Given to him by Christopher Walken, this remote controls his whole universe, allowing him to fast forward, pause, rewind to past events, and even provides a commentary to his life. Seeing the opportunity he uses the remote to fast forward to a point where he is finally a partner at his firm. This skips a year of his life, which also piles up more issues than resolutions. This continues through the whole movie, leading to him missing many events and leading his life in a direction he didn't want. At the end of the movie he realizes what he truly wants and what his priority should be. The ending is wonderful, giving him a second chance to change his priorities. I won't say more so I won't ruin it for those who haven't watched the movie.
This wasn't the first time I've seen the movie, but it was the first time I could relate to the main character, which made this experience different than before. There was one quote in the movie, given by Christopher Walken, that made a whole lot of sense. "Remember the leprechaun, the one from the cereal ad... He's always chasing the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow, but when he gets there, at the end of the day, it's just cornflakes." Of course, we know its supposed to be lucky charms, but his metaphor painted a clear picture. If our priorities are focused on the end result, to the "good parts" of life, it will not be as fulfilling as we imagine and could possibly be a disappointment. I watched in awe, feeling the same way the character did, when he realized he missed important parts of his life or how long time had passed. I asked myself, what would I be willing to miss if I had the same opportunity? quickly my answer was, nothing.
I wouldn't want to miss my children growing up and watching them become adults, or miss the strengthening of my marriage through hard work and unity, or even the precious time spent with family and friends, all to pursue riches and fame. Life's purpose is the journey back to our Father in Heaven. The journey is where we learn to grow, improve, change, enjoy, and appreciate all that has been given to us.
I realized that in order to bask in the joy of achieving anything in life, I need to enjoy and appreciate the journey. I am starting to focus on the good of each day, and the reasons why I should be thankful. So far, it has provided me with a feeling of peace and strength to know it will all be worth it at the end. Though being positive is easier said than done, ha ha..each day is an improvement.
Why do I share this thought with you all? Because as I have had times of struggles and I know I will have more, with the feeling that it will never end, I wanted you all to know that you are not alone. Life is a struggle for us all and if you feel you are going through life alone, that no one understands you or there is no light at the end of the tunnel...you are not alone and there is hope.
This struggle is only for a short time, and you don't have to go through it alone. I
understand your frustration and I know how it feels to have no hope, but together we can focus on how life is meant to be...and life is meant to be enjoyed. I am glad to have those in my life who help me on this journey, and I know how important it is to be surrounded by those who understand the struggle. So, if you are feeling alone, know that you can count on me to bring you up and go through it together. Like it says on this last quote, let's not focus on the finish line, rather focus on enjoying the journey.
Together, family and friends, we will, and we can enjoy the journey.
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