Sunday, August 19, 2012

Hope and her friend Courage


“Get busy living, or get busy dying.”

That quote from “Shawshank Redemption” sticks with you doesn’t it?  You may remember that Andy is telling Red, who insists that Hope has no place in prison, that Hope is “the best of things.”  Yes, the movie is set in prison, but it is about us, you and me, prisoners of our lives. 

I was going to write a beautiful piece of uplifting prose, hopeful that if I did I could create a blog sensation that went viral and took the country by storm!  And instead I have already said that life is a prison and have given up all hope of reaching a large audience.  Who wants to think of his/her life in those terms?  Not many.  And yet, who is living an utterly free life, flitting from one adventure to another, beholden to nothing?  Right. Not many.  And what’s more:  Who wants to?  We live our lives behind walls we willingly construct.

I guess hurling one’s self off of a cliff takes courage.  Yes, I’m sure it does.  But people who do those types of things usually talk about people like us in patronizing terms, saying that we don’t have the courage to really live our lives.  And I beg to differ. 

Settling down, getting married, having kids takes courage.  That is, it does if you enter into those commitments intending to stay in them come what may.  Sending a perfect little baby out into the world, knowing that if the worst happened you would never heal, is at least as courageous as jumping off a cliff with a parachute, knowing that if the worst happens, you’ll never feel it.

And how about people who are single rather than in bad relationships?   Think that doesn’t take courage in a couple-centric world?  Or people in relationships who decide they don’t want children, who have the courage of their convictions? 

Wait a minute!  Courage has snuck in and is trying to hijack this essay!  Courage, you dirty dog!  “Not so fast,” Courage says, “Where you find me, you will always find Hope.  Any fool can live a life that has no hope.  Hope may be the most courageous act there is.”

I think one reason my writing isn’t very popular is because I always write about myself.  Maybe people think my blog is just the rantings and ravings of an egotistical maniac.  I like to think that I write about myself because I’m who I know best but also because I think I’m a fairly typical cat.  So hopefully I’m writing about you too.  Let’s try it:

I am depressed (maybe you are too).  I have chronic pancreatitis (you probably don’t). I’m in constant pain (you’re in constant something I bet).  I hope I get better (so do you).  If I don’t, I don’t.  My wife married a strong man, a healthy man.  That is not who she’s married to now.  But she is not going anywhere.  In sickness and in health indeed!  Think of how brave those vows are! How hopeful!  “I love you now, in your health.  Of course, I do.  But I will love you if you get sick, too.  I will take care of you; I will hold you; I will do whatever I need to do to keep you warm, and dry, and safe.  Not because I am fearless, but because I am brave.  I am scared; I am weak.  But I will get up tomorrow and I will do what needs to be done and I will Hope for the best.”  

16 comments:

  1. Now, before I commend you on that piece, What is it with men and this movie? Are we ladies missing something? Anyhow, you have made me think of the metaphor, "prisoners of our LIVES" I never thought of that movie like that. I like it. It's true. I'm a prisoner to children, the alarm, paying bills, getting it done. Thanks, provoked thought in me

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  2. Thanks, Rachel. Watch it again!

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  3. "Hope may be the most courageous act there is." Exactly what I needed to hear right now. :-)

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  4. Well-said, touching blog.

    "Not because I am fearless, but because I am brave." Indeed! If one has no fear, how can one be brave?

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  5. Superman wasn't brave. He didn't have to be, he knew he was indestructible. It's people who get out of bed every morning and face the unknown who are brave. Very touching read, and I love Shawshank Redemption. I could watch it a million times. Even though we are imprisoned in our lives, children, bills, job etc we find freedom at the end, and like Andy may find in looking back there was something worth being imprisoned for, in his case his friendship with Red.

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  6. Rachel, "The Shawshank Redemption" is one of the greatest movies ever made! You can read it, too, in Stephen King's collection of short stories called "Different Seasons". It's "Rita Hayworth and the Shawshank Redemption" in the book. It also has "The Body", on which the movie "Stand by Me" is based.

    Tom...THIS. All of it. You are amazing. Tears, laughter, hope and courage all before 9 a.m. J.I.'s got nothin' on you.

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  7. oh Tom! this is so hope filled. And hope goes right along with courage. Anyone can give up. It takes real courage to choose hope. YOu are a hopeful man in spite of how hard you try not to be.

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  8. I LOVE this post. You write from the heart, and I love you for that. Courage and hope are different for everyone. You sir, are courageous and full of hope. You fill me with hope, and make me realize that I am more courageous than I thought. Love and light to you. xoxo

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  9. You're super popular with me. And that's really all that matters.;)

    "You're in constant something, I bet." Very perceptive. I always think of myself as being in constant pain, and I know other people have terrible problems. But I've never thought of it in those terms. Something about the way you said that makes it much easier to understand everybody else.

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  10. This is lovely, hopeful, and courageous. Thank you. :)

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  11. Tom, what a beautiful post.

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  12. Well said Tom . What men see in the SR is the timeless tale of overcoming, knowing that the struggle and pain don't really mater, to reach whatever your goal might be is what you stay focused on . I also live in pain just from different things , it would be easy to give in to the pain , that gets you nowhere and does nothing but help you stay depressed . You are not your pain or your depression you are the person that says " I CAN " and then does what needs to be done .

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  13. This is perfect. All of it. Sharing.

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  14. I LOVE Shawshank Redemption. I also LOVE this post. Hoping for better, even when better may be so far off it's hard to see, may be the most courageous thing someone can do.

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  15. I also have chronic pancreatitus, I have had 2 children one being 9pds 15 oz it was not even slightly in the ball park of the pain I have had from the pancreatitus!!! My whole life I was healthy for the most part than about 18 months ago I first had symptoms , at first I thought I just had a terrible kidney or bladder infection, so I bought some Canberra juice and decided to ignore it (haha good idea right!?!) So about a week and a half later I couldn't walk eat sleep breath ! So I went to the emergency room for 3 hours I sat in the waiting room doubled over crying and vomiting , finally they bring me back to check me out instantly injected me with pain medication assuming because I was only 28 and mostly healthy I was a junkie, handed me a sandwhich juice offered me more pain medication and started my discharge papers just as the nurse brought them to me to sign my blood work came back a doctor came running into the cubicle and snatched my sandwich had me in a private room within 10 minutes apologizing profusely, I was there 13 days that time did not educate me at all on the subject pretty much just said no alcohol, since then I have been hospitalized for this 7 times now , I am happy to say I have.found out most the foods that trigger/aggravate it and in the last month in a half I have felt pretty good! I haven't puked 90% of my day away! I wish you health, luck and tons of comfort , I wouldn't wish pancreatitus on my biggest enemy!

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