Friday, May 23, 2008

Inspiration Peak

I added a section for websites that I like to visit that go along with my blog topic. The first one added to the list is Inspiration Peak. The link I put will get you to the forums where I also regularly post. It is a great site to talk about anything inspirational. They also sell motivational gifts and have places for sharing poetry and stories as well. It is an impressive site.

Someone Watching Over Me

Throughout my life I have noticed that there have been people strategically placed by the powers that be to help inspire me to complete my personal mission or personal legend (for those Alchemist fans). At times we do not realize our own potential and the great things that we could do for the world. There are very intuitive people out there that give their all, whether it be conciously or not, to help others on their way. Sometimes it is a family member and others it is a kind old lady in a grocery store that you have never seen before and will never see again.
In the movie Raise Your Voice, Terri the main character has enormous potential to become a gifted musician. She loves it but does not realize the power her ability has. Her brother does and does everything he can to motivate her to chase her dream. Unfortunately her brother dies tragically in a car accident. Before he dies, he sends a dvd of Terri singing to a music school Terri is hoping to attend in the summer. She is invited to attend and works on honing her musical skills. The whole movie she is visibly shaken by the death of her brother that she deems as being her fault. Near the end of the movie she realizes the impact her brother has had on her life and the amazing gift he gave her. She encapsulates this in the song "Someone Watching Over Me". It is an amazing message and I encourage everyone to listen to the song and to think about the people who have helped you along the way. Also, be that type of person and help others as well. It will not only enrich their lives but yours as well.

Thursday, May 15, 2008

Homer Hickam did it...Why can't I?

I've recently been thinking about the fascination that small children have with being astronauts. Almost every child goes through the phase of wanting to grow up and go into outer space. I truly believe it come from our desire to get as high as we can. Our young minds equate achieving our dreams with soaring high into the air.
For years, movies about space have intrigued and captivated the public and given us a glimpse of our own dreams. October Sky is the emotional and motivating story of Homer Hickam's dream of breaking free from his small mining town home. When a new teacher comes to Homer's town and challenges the students' goals and life's ambitions, Homer decides to learn as much as he can about space and rocketry. He and his friends set out to enter and win the science fair and send a homemade rocket into orbit. Homer's determination inspires his whole town as they all cheer him into the heavens.
The main thing that I gleaned from this story is that each person has his/her place and mission in life. Homer's was in space, while his dad's was with the mine. Homer felt that the mine was a trap, while his father felt comfortable there and felt he was best put to use in it's shafts. Every person should be inspired to their best place, whatever it may be. There also was a great sense of community in this story, something I believe is truly lacking in most western societies today. This story shows that the dreams of a few can bolster the dreams of many and also that the help of a community working together can skyrocket the ambitions of a few highly motivated souls.

Fahrenheit 451

The topic most discussed with this book is that of book burning. There is so much more to this work by Ray Bradbury. For me, this book raises one question...What would you be willing to give up for knowledge?
The main character of Fahrenheit 451, Guy Montag, works as a fireman in a world with fireproof buildings. His job consists of burning the belongings of people who are found to have books that are on the restricted list, which are most. The people with books are arrested. Guy starts to show a change of heart when he meets a neighbor girl who appears very peculiar in the way she acts. He also witnesses a woman who will not leave her house as it is burning, because she does not want to leave her books. This all comes to a climax as we find out Guy's true heart and what he is willing to give for knowledge.
This seems to be a great fear among literary types as there are many different works that address similar themes. I can think of the book 1984 by George Orwell and the movie Equilibrium for a couple of examples from my lists. What would we be willing to give or do if the simple freedoms that we enjoy as human beings were threatened or taken away? Would we be willing to fight against the powers that be for the right to own a Bible, Koran or other religious book? Would we be willing to die for the right to feel emotion and passion?
Please let me know if you can think of other examples of this theme that I can add to my list.

Tuesday, May 13, 2008

Mr. Magorium's Wonder Emporium

The first thing that impresses about this movie is the performance of Dustin Hoffman. He plays a toy store owner with longer than normal life and a flare for the eccentric. Evidence of this can be found in his pet zebra named Mortimer and that he believes an accountant is a cross between a counter and a mutant. Natalie Portman plays Mahoney, a gifted musician who has lost her ability to progress. Through the movie and Magorium's strange method of inspiring Mahoney, she learns to live life for the beauty that it is and find the magic around her. The Counting Mutant also learns that life is more than numbers and work.
I would love to own a magical toy store. Children are so full of life and are interested in anything. Life for children is magical. If only it could be so for more people/adults. Disinterest causes people to stall in their progression. If we can not see the wonder in the world, we can not dream of things bigger than ourselves.

"Mortimer, fetch! Stupid Zebra!!"