"Life is lived forward, but understood backward. It is not until we are down the road and we stand on the mountain looking back through the valley that we can appreciate the terrain God has allowed us to scale.” Jill Savage

Thursday, February 21, 2008

I got this forward yesterday from Personal Development for the Book Smart - here it is copied:

Personal Development for the Book Smart
"Achieving your dreams before you die -
Posted: 20 Feb 2008 03:48 AM CST
While we are still on the subject of achieving your dreams, I found this wonderful and interesting animation on you tube:

YouTube Direktvideo link

It’s the story about a kiwi that went against all odds to fulfill his dreams before he died. The Kiwi took the time and effort to nail trees to the side of a cliff to create the illusion that he was flying when he jumped down the edge of the cliff.

He finally understood the meaning of joy and as he accelerated down the cliff, you could see how happy he was as he imagined himself to be a flying bird.

Now I’m not advocating suicide or anything but I think there is something to be learned here.

Something simple.

Something even an animated kiwi knows."

Wow this is deep. I was understanding the whole thing and I agreed with it totally - except the ending, when I realized that he was committing suicide. I didn't get that thought from watching the video myself, but after reading the summary above, and if it is a true interpretation (?) then I feel sad for him, not happy. I get that he struggled to see his dreams of flight come true, even though he wasn't a flying type of bird. Did you see the tear out of his eye when he flew for awhile accomplishing his dream? He closed his eyes and just felt the dream that came from his hard work. Maybe the clouds meant Heaven. Not sure.

I'd be happy if he worked hard as heck to achieve his dreams, but if he has to kill himself to accomplish them then it makes me sad. No dream is worth that.

So I'm going to put a different twist or ending to it for myself. I don't know how the cartoonist could show this, but maybe he could just land on the other side - after accomplishing his dreams - being older and gray and in a yoga 'centering stance' (?). What do you think? Happier ending? I don't like sad endings. I want to learn and grow and I don't even mind working out, but I do want it to be for something positive.


You may forget with whom you laughed, but you will never forget with whom you wept. Keep your friends around you tight. Real friends let you cry and laugh. That's what it's all about.

Love,
Chatty

1 comment:

Changes in the wind said...

Chatty, I didn't think he was committing suicide either....guess it is all in your perspective:)