Four Inspirational Moments in Film

Movies are a great source of inspiration. You can learn valuable lessons from watching how others deal with failure and overcome obstacles, as well as taking note of the perspective they take toward life. Below you’ll find four inspirational moments in film.

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What Will Your Verse Be?

In the film “Dead Poet’s Society”, English professor John Keating reads an excerpt from the poem “O Me! O Life!” by Walt Whitman to his students.  The poem is a question with its answer.  It tackles the fundamental question of human existence: “Why are we here?” Whitman’s answer is that we are here to contribute a verse to the powerful play of life.

This is what Keating reads out loud to the class:

“O ME! O life!… of the questions of these recurring;
Of the endless trains of the faithless–of cities fill’d with the foolish;
What good amid these, O me, O life?

Answer.

That you are here–that life exists, and identity;
That the powerful play goes on, and you will contribute a verse.”

Then Keating adds that following: “And the powerful play goes on, and you will contribute a verse.  What will your verse be?”

Protect Your Dreams

In “The Pursuit of Happyness”, Christopher Gardner (played by Will Smith) is shooting baskets with his son, who obviously loves the game.  Christopher tells the young boy that he was never any good at playing basketball, so–as his son–he should accept that he just won’t excel in basketball either.  When he sees his son’s disappointment, Christopher realizes what he’s done and tells him the following:

Christopher Gardner: Hey. Don’t ever let somebody tell you… You can’t do something. Not even me. All right?

Son: All right.

Christopher Gardner: You got a dream… You gotta protect it. People can’t do somethin’ themselves, they wanna tell you you can’t do it. If you want somethin’, go get it. Period.

There’s So Much Beauty In the World

In the film American Beauty, Ricky Fitts asks Jane if she wants to see the most beautiful thing he’s ever filmed.  He shows her the video and it’s a paper bag dancing in the wind.  Ricky tells Jane the following:

“It was one of those days when it’s a minute away from snowing and there’s this electricity in the air, you can almost hear it. And this bag was just, dancing with me. Like a little kid begging me to play with it. For fifteen minutes. And that’s the day I realized there was this entire life behind things, and… this incredibly benevolent force, that wanted me to know there was no reason to be afraid, ever. Video’s a poor excuse, I know. But it helps me remember… I need to remember… Sometimes there’s so much beauty in the world I feel like I can’t take it, like my heart’s going to cave in.”

The World Will Beat You to Your Knees, If You Let It

When Rocky Balboa’s son starts pointing fingers and blaming others for his problems and setbacks, Rocky tells him the following:

“Let me tell you something you already know. The world ain’t all sunshine and rainbows. It’s a very mean and nasty place and I don’t care how tough you are it will beat you to your knees and keep you there permanently if you let it. You, me, or nobody is gonna hit as hard as life. But it ain’t about how hard ya hit. It’s about how hard you can get hit and keep moving forward. How much you can take and keep moving forward. That’s how winning is done! Now if you know what you’re worth then go out and get what you’re worth. But ya gotta be willing to take the hits . . . “

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