“Life
is like a box of chocolates” is probably one of the most overindulged and
clichéd lines in movie history. But every cliché has a purpose, and in this
case, it’s that life is full of incredible possibilities, and where you’re
going to end up is rarely according to plan. I am reminded of this because a
couple weeks ago, while scrolling through my T.V. looking for something to
watch, I stumbled across Forrest Gump.
I hadn’t seen it in a while, so I figured it would be a nice way to pass the
time. I watched the entire movie with the same relish that I had when I saw it
for the first time. But at this point of my life while watching this movie, something
else clicked in my brain that I didn’t really think about before.
From the moment Forrest Gump began
school, he was deemed “stupid” and had little to no potential in achieving
anything remarkable. He never had a particular goal set in his mind and the only
thing he was passionate about was his mother and his “most special friend”
Jenny. However, even though he was supposed to be a simple man, he became a
football All-American, Medal of Honor recipient, champion Ping-Pong player,
shrimp boat captain, and celebrity runner. He met three U.S. presidents, taught
Elvis Presley how to dance, busted the Watergate scandal, inspired the song
“Imagine” for John Lennon, and wound up marrying the woman of his dreams.
Why was Forrest able to accomplish
one amazing thing and move on to do another amazing thing right afterwards? One
reason, of course, is being at the right place at the right time. But when that
opportunity presented itself at that place and time, he had the courage to go
for it. He didn’t pay attention to a strict life agenda; he instead wanted to
do whatever interested him. Because he seized the opportunities that were offered
to him, he found himself in an amazing position that he never thought he would
be when he was younger. What did other people in Greenbow do with their lives?
Of course Forrest Gump is a work of fiction and this story seems a little
unrealistic. However, when I watch this movie now, I think of my father who got
into his line of work in the film business when a man came into a restaurant he
was working at and asked him if he could weld. I also think about my
grandfather who always thought he would become a teacher until World War II arrived
and he chose instead to drop everything and serve in the Army. As much as we
think we have our lives figured out now, we probably don’t, and many of us will
do something we’ve never thought we would do. As much as we think we have
little to no worth in this world, we have no idea what actual potential we are
capable of achieving. All we can do is find the courage to follow our ambitions
and interests, because in life you never know what you’re going to get.
With
a perspective, I’m Nathan Baker.
