1. Movies I like…
I like movies that are based on true stories. And I really like movies based on true stories about real people that have done something extraordinary. Sure, they make you feel good… and are inspirational… but I love that they expand our minds on what is possible, break down limiting beliefs that we have, and get us to think about what might be possible in our own lives. We watched three such movies in the past week and a half…
- The Hill, “the true story of Ricky Hill, the son of a traveling pastor who overcomes physical obstacles to pursue his dream of playing baseball in the major leagues.”
- 7 Yards: The Chris Norton Story, “A documentary that will inspire you to overcome. It took Chris Norton 7 years to walk his bride 7 yards down the aisle after a life-altering football tackle.”
- Greater, “the story of Brandon Burlsworth, possibly the greatest walk-on in the history of college football.”
None of these movies will win any awards for best acting or cinematography, but the stories are powerful, uplifting, and all three of them got me to reflect on my own limiting beliefs, boosted my spirits, and absolutely expanded my mind. Below are the trailers for each one, as well as a short clip from ESPN about Brandon Burlsworth below. What a story!!!
2. Two cool things I saw this week…
I tend to appreciate nature… animals in particular. I find myself feeling grateful when I get to experience something… an animal, a scene, or an activity… that is not commonly observed. This week, I came across two very cool things… actually, I saw both in one day, within a couple of hours of each other. First, I saw a bald eagle. We tend to see them occasionally on the lake we live on, but this one was seen perched on a log, just above the water. We also got to see it take off, which was super cool… to see it spread those huge wings. Second, we saw a praying mantis on the outside of our sliding glass door. I hadn’t seen one in decades… and it was the biggest one I have ever seen. See the two photos and a video of the eagle taking off below… and pardon my goofy editing of the eagle video… with the slow motion and Fly Like an Eagle music. Couldn’t help myself. (Photo credits go to David H. and Marin M.)
3. Quote I love…
“Everything can be taken from man but one thing: the last of human freedoms – to choose one’s attitude in any given set of circumstances, to choose one’s own way.”
-Viktor E. Frankl
Viktor Frankl was an Austrian psychiatrist, Holocaust survivor, and author of the great book, Man’s Search for Meaning, about his horrific experience at Auschwitz, the meaning of life he took away from that experience, and how it is “meaning” that often determined the difference between living and dying.
