Inspiration

Often I get inspired by this movie and/or it's songs.



It's a true story, about someone (Christopher McCandless) who just couldn't settle for materialistic compensation for his achievements, who was looking for himself, looking for something real, searching for some way to feel alive. Everyone should watch it, I'd love it if you would and then get back to me on what you thought of it.

I hope you become as inspired as I am when I think of this beautiful yet ultimately sad story. Often when I think of it I just want to drop everything, pack a bag, and just leave without a destiny. That's pretty much the moment that I realize I'm daydreaming lol.

Inspiration is everywhere (?)

D.

P.S. You may or may not have realized that this movie title was also my inspiration for the blog title!

P.S.2  I'm sorry I haven't written in such a long time, I was out of town, at a place without an internet connection (civilization, I have missed you!) studying, because I have a huge exam tomorrow. I'll be leaving the country on friday, and will only return the 23rd, so I'll get back to my regular writing then (with a day-by-day account of my trip to Germany!). Until then, see ya!

"And yet the menace of the years finds and shall find me unnafraid"

Out of the night that covers me,

Black as the Pit from pole to pole,

I thank whatever gods may be

For my unconquerable soul.

In the fell clutch of circumstance

I have not winced nor cried aloud.

Under the bludgeonings of chance

My head is bloody, but unbowed.

Beyond this place of wrath and tears

Looms but the horror of the shade,

And yet the menace of the years

Finds, and shall find me, unafraid.

It matters not how straight the gate,

How charged with punishments the scroll,

I am the master of my fate;

I am the captain of my soul.

William Ernest Henley (1849-1903)

No, I'm not a poetry geek. Ok, maybe I am, because I already knew this piece of geniosity (is that even a word?), but it's not like I quote poetry all the time out of the blue! 

Back on track: I went to see Invictus, the movie that is, and I really loved it! Very powerful message, and a great rolemodel revealed to the masses (I know, but the truth is a lot of people don't know who Nelson Mandela is and/or what he's done...).

Kind of quoting the movie, I have to say that it's impressive that someone who was in jail for thirty-something years can come out totally ready to forgive those who locked him up in the first place. To a lot of people, this poem (It's called Invictus, which is latin for "undefeatable") is about keeping your ideas and ideals intact to the passing of time and turbulence To them, it speaks of maintaining fixed goals, and not giving up on trying to come out on top. To me, it says quite the opposite.

To me it speaks about remaining good-hearted regardless of what violence is thrown at you (not only physical violence). The day we start justifying our evil with other people's violence will be a very sad day indeed (oh wait, we're already there...).

This is actually a daily struggle to me, because I'm naturally a vindictive person (not like Kill Bill, I just don't like being steped on on purpose). So I try really hard to beat evil with excess of good. But in reality, it's not worth it. 

A very short time ago I realized, to my disappoitment, that doing the right thing never pays off, it's not worth it, you don't even feel better. The better person you try to be, the more people will stamp all over you, the more you'll be disappointed by the ones you thought gave a damn but actually don't, the more you'll feel like shit, the more you'll feel like a stupid "angel-wannabe". I think that the wisdom, maturity and resilience (and whatever else this poem is trying to shout out) are what sets a few apart. 

Those few (wich I try to be a part of, although I usually fail) believe that the instant gratification is not enough, and choose to live a different life. They choose to do the right thing, even knowing that it's not worth it (at least not in what society considers of worth these days), that it will bring them no good, except for the great feeling that is, when looking back after a while, to know in their heart that they did the right thing. I admire these people, and I have met very few of them. 

Nelson Mandela was one of these people.

When he left his prison cell, he hadn't allowed violence to rise inside of him, he knew that forgiving was the right thing, and that forgiving would make the world a little better. Like Ghandi said, "The weak can never forgive. Forgiveness is the attribute of the strong." I agree.

So keeping your ideals is not the idea! It's not the point. The point is to adjust to every situation, always searching to be better, to make for a better world. Maybe it's an utopy, so be it. I may not feel the biggest satisfaction momentarily, but I sure do feel good about myself when, after a while, I take a look back at the situations and reaffirm that I did the best that I could and knew how.

Again, I'm very sorry for not posting so often, I've been busy busy busy.

Thank you for reading, thank you for giving me the joy of knowing that someone reads what I write.

Yours, and trying to forgive,

D.