What I really took from the movie, other than a guilty conscience and a sense of uncoolness, is the reminder that life is about today and living each day for the moment. Yvon, around age 70, remarks a couple of times that he's where he wants to be -- in the now -- not in the past or future. He reflects that he has lived a great life and wouldn't change a thing. Of course not -- he has lived his life like a California surfer and also started one of the coolest retail companies in the world and is probably super rich. Remarkable people often seem to achieve remarkable things and I think that's awesome. I really admire Yvon's attitude and want to strive to be more that way. I enjoy most of the moments I'm in but have always been someone looking towards the future. Whether it be planning a vacation or thinking about the next 5 years -- it's hard I think to really stay in the present. Part of why I love being outside is that blissed out feeling of place and belonging to the world -- it's an easy time to soak in the moment. But I want to feel this way more during the mundane moments at the office or vacuuming. OK I might be reaching...
Another line from the movie that I loved and think applies to damn near everything is (roughly): You're walking forward and come to a cliff. You have two choices -- you can take another step forward or turn 180 degrees and take one step forward. Which is forward progress? This was stated in the context of our path to environmental destruction, a topic I find really overwhelming, but I think I'll keep this idea in my pocket since I am often the one who would step off the cliff just because that's the direction I think I'm supposed to be going.
Finally, I felt validated by the idea that these epic adventures and useless physical endeavors do have value and worth since the process, which is what matters, make us better people. Yvon thinks so -- so there.
2 comments:
Great point. It is, indeed, difficult to not focus on the future when daily life's responsibilities seem dull, or not to dwell on the past, whether mistakes or good times. And yes, running long in the mountaisn brings peace, because you are here, now - hard to be elsewhere when the only focus is to keep putting one foot in front of another. I actually find lots of physical stuff being meditative, so to speak. You come to Bikrma, or to weight room, with a head full of thoughts - and then you grunt and sweat, and by the end the head is empty:) There are many things I'd like to do in the now, but I am not living solo, and those around me might have their ideas of what they'd like to do in the now. This is where the challenges come from. You could even align some of those "now-ideas" with a partner, but then the kids step in, and it kind of all takes a back seat. And while a few dozen (or few thousands) folks would tell you they moved on no matter what, I wonder if they really did, or if the kids truly benefited. the problem is, we'll never know which way is the right one, because the experiment "runs" without "control".
Bottom line is - there is plenty of living done now, and enough space to remember and dream too. The important part is to strive to get better:)
Olga that's really well said. Obviously, not everyone can hop in a van and head to Patagonia to go climbing or surfing or whatever. Living in the now I suppose is embracing today's reality without wasting the whole day daydreaming about a different life. I think you're a good example of living life in balance, being generally awesome and turning around when necessary.
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