Get Busy Living or Get Busy Dying

Saw the amazing movie 'Shawshank Redemption' today in the theater in San Mateo. The lines

Get busy Living or Get busy Dying

 are from this movie. The movie is all about Hope and the protagonist Andy Dreyfus is the quintessential personification of that.

It's up-to us how we want to spend our life: Live with Hope or Wait for Death with no Hope.

A beautifully written song : Jagame Maaya Bratuke Maaya

A beautifully composed/written/sung song which captures the essence of life. This is from the famous telugu movie 'Devdas'.

I had heard it many a times earlier, but it was never as effective as today. As someone said...it's always there, we only see it when we are ready.

Here are the lyrics and translation to english:-
http://www.poetfreak.com/text/57036/song-of-devdas.html

Analysis of 'Fight Club'

http://voices.yahoo.com/a-psychological-analysis-chuck-palahniuks-fight-322034.html

American Beauty & Steve Jobs

The movie American Beauty ends with Lester's (protoganist) description of his life flashing before his eyes, interspersed with scenes of his family and others at the moment of the gunshot. Looking back on these events from his vantage point as narrator, Lester is only content:

"I guess I could be pretty pissed off about what happened to me, but it's hard to stay mad when there's so much beauty in the world. Sometimes I feel like I'm seeing it all at once, and it's too much; my heart fills up like a balloon that's about to burst... And then I remember to relax, and stop trying to hold on to it. And then it flows through me like rain, and I can't feel anything but gratitude for every single moment of my stupid little life.

You have no idea what I'm talking about, I'm sure. But don't worry... You will someday."

I think it's conicidence, but just today came across this speech given by Steve Jobs. Here's an extract from it:-

"Remembering that I'll be dead soon is the most important tool I've ever encountered to help me make the big choices in life. Because almost everything — all external expectations, all pride, all fear of embarrassment or failure - these things just fall away in the face of death, leaving only what is truly important. Remembering that you are going to die is the best way I know to avoid the trap of thinking you have something to lose. You are already naked. There is no reason not to follow your heart."

What a Family can do

Recently I came across two instances where the to and fro side of having a family was visible from close quarters.

1) In the movie "Cindrella Man", Jim Braddock, the protagonist resurrects like a Phoenix to come back into the boxing ring and win the world heavyweight championship, and the major reason being the need to feed his family. If he hadn't had a family probably he wouldn't have felt the impulse to come back.

2) This is about my school teacher, who was very close to me and had philanthropic thoughts at the time when I was in school. He was the one who had encouraged me during my higher secondary education through monetary support. (I wouldn't call it support, but the action did encourage me). After a long time I met him and I was surprised to see the changes in his perspective. Seems like marriage & family have taken its toll. The moment you have wife and kids you have to look after them and plan for your kids future and so you need money/property for your family. Only if you are blessed with enough money can you take some part of it and spend on the community.