I have always been the type of person that found meaning in every single thing that came into my world. I place the value of “message for the purposes of learning and growth” on radio songs, movies, books and conversations I experience. There are no coincidences in life, merely the illusion of coincidence. Partially it is because I wish to be truly conscious of every single moment of every single day. More importantly, I believe there is a greater purpose and meaning to all things…much more than we give credit to.
This past weekend, I found myself receiving messages meant for me through a series of movies I was able to see. The first movie was entitled ‘Therese’. It was the true story of a young girl that had a deep yearning for God, so much so, that she convinced the Pope to allow her into a convent by the age of fifteen. Her love was so intense that she developed a way of life in which any act of kindness was her way of performing little miracles in the world. Miracles were anything from helping an elderly woman from her bed to speaking to someone lovingly that only knew how to speak rudely. Sister Therese died of Tuberculosis by the age of seventeen. Mother Theresa adopted her mission of “The Little Way” from the example of 15 year old Sister Therese. What this movie taught me was that we each have opportunities to perform miracles every single day if we choose to be aware of them. Instead of reacting to someone else’s ‘stuff’, we can stay in our own world but extend a supportive loving hand, setting an example of peace and serenity. It is only that we must change our perspective on things, be compassionate to others, and know we have the ability to make a difference with our conscious choices. WOULD-A COULD-A SHOULD-A…
The second movie I saw was entitled ‘V for Vendetta’. The story was set in England where a dictator ruled the population with the instrument of fear. The government had conducted experiments on those of society ‘they’ considered unworthy, for the purposes of developing germ warfare. One of these tortured men, who had been horribly burned, came back to inspire and set an example for people that their belief in themselves was the power to overcome oppression. He helped one girl battle the fear that had haunted her entire existence. I remember one particular line so clearly because its impact on me was astounding. “Now that you have felt the fear, faced the fear, and moved through it…you are free, you have found freedom.” How many times do we back away from something because we are afraid? At that moment, the fear wins and we feel imprisoned by our own insecurity and negative ego talk. It is when we face up to our greatest fears that we grow and become the most empowered. WOULD-A COULD-A SHOULD-A
Finally, I watched ‘Brother Bear II’ with my son. It was a story of a young Eskimo that was to wed but could not due to a bond formed when she was a child with another Eskimo. They had etched their love in stone and the boy had gifted an amulet to the young girl. The spirits of the Northern Lights would not permit the marriage as long as the amulet existed. The girl set out on a journey to find the boy, who had been turned into a bear, so that the bond could be broken. The young girl eventually sees that she is more than what she thought she was and had forgotten or given up on all of the dreams and heart yearnings she had. It portrayed how we live our lives by the rules of our parents, grandparents, and society…falling into the themes of what we are taught…thus not realizing who or what we truly are. Once we begin to discover ourselves, the gift of life becomes increasingly more meaningful. WOULD-A COULD-A SHOULD-A
How many times do you look back in life and wonder, “If I could go back I would…” or have a relationship issue where you thought, “I could have…”? Maybe there was a decision that you hold with regret, “I should have…”. It is not about looking back and saying WOULD-A COULD-A SHOULD-A…we must embrace our pasts as part of us, but we must not live back there with it.
Life is about staying in the moment and choosing the would, should, and could. What if at the end of our lives we are taken to a large room with two screens? Next to one screen is a sign that says: “Press here to see who you were” Next to the other screen is a sign that reads: “Press here to see who you could have been”.
As that thought crosses your mind, consider… What do you want to look back on? What are the experiences you wish to have? How large do you want to open your heart? Are there people you need to forgive? Are you too hard on yourself or others? Do you make choices that support your health and well being? Are you doing what you want to do in life? Are you happy or just getting by? Don’t spend one more day playing the WOULD-A COULD-A SHOULD-A game. Live your life through conscious self-supporting choices. With every choice you make, do you think there will ever be a moment where you would say to yourself
“I would have…could have…should have… Then you will know what you must do.
Until the next…Fashion Emergency!!!
Warmest Regards,
Simran Singh