Recently I had the chance to see the movie
"We Bought a Zoo".
In the movie there has been a death of a family member. Therein, is the story for most of the movie. The death is the center, the reason, everyone else is, where they are. As is often the case, with many of us there is a point in time (sometimes often more than one) that caused us great grief. A heartache beyond definition. No one word to describe the immense burden of pain that remains hidden beneath our brave smile or our plastered, painted facade. The image we show the world may have often deteriorated from "happy go lucky", because all we can mange is a front that at least isn't contorted by the turmoil within. We long to move on, but we are frozen in that personal moment of hell by fear. We go through the daily motions. One foot in front of the other. This breath, then the next. Until some days we feel like we are just barely breathing. You can feel all of this in the movie. But then...
The movie takes a turn. What unfolded in those next few moments transformed the movie and the characters. The main character stepped into his pain. Up until this point everything he had been doing was reactionary to his hurt and his grief. In essence, beating back the monster; not defeating it. But, in that moment he took charge of himself and he stepped into the very place where it hurt more than anything. He confronted the monster. It caused him to cope; to deal with it. When he did, he opened the gate to his prison and he was free. The movie, his story was changed from a tale of death, to one of life.
"We Bought a Zoo".
In the movie there has been a death of a family member. Therein, is the story for most of the movie. The death is the center, the reason, everyone else is, where they are. As is often the case, with many of us there is a point in time (sometimes often more than one) that caused us great grief. A heartache beyond definition. No one word to describe the immense burden of pain that remains hidden beneath our brave smile or our plastered, painted facade. The image we show the world may have often deteriorated from "happy go lucky", because all we can mange is a front that at least isn't contorted by the turmoil within. We long to move on, but we are frozen in that personal moment of hell by fear. We go through the daily motions. One foot in front of the other. This breath, then the next. Until some days we feel like we are just barely breathing. You can feel all of this in the movie. But then...
The movie takes a turn. What unfolded in those next few moments transformed the movie and the characters. The main character stepped into his pain. Up until this point everything he had been doing was reactionary to his hurt and his grief. In essence, beating back the monster; not defeating it. But, in that moment he took charge of himself and he stepped into the very place where it hurt more than anything. He confronted the monster. It caused him to cope; to deal with it. When he did, he opened the gate to his prison and he was free. The movie, his story was changed from a tale of death, to one of life.
Many times the only way we can experience true joy after a loss is to just stop reacting to the pain.
Open up to the hurt and experience it. What we will find, is the release of fear. Because the truth is, it was the fear of pain that kept us from going forward.
What we get when we let go of fear, is freedom.
It was the main character's fear of the pain of his loss that held him prisoner to his grief. When he took control and had the courage to face it - he freed not only himself but the others around him.
What fear is holding you in your prison?
Open up to the hurt and experience it. What we will find, is the release of fear. Because the truth is, it was the fear of pain that kept us from going forward.
What we get when we let go of fear, is freedom.
It was the main character's fear of the pain of his loss that held him prisoner to his grief. When he took control and had the courage to face it - he freed not only himself but the others around him.
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