"Hope is a good thing, maybe the best of things, and no good thing ever dies."
The quote above originates from one of my favorite movies, The Shawshank Redemption. In the story, Andy, a wrongfully-imprisoned young man finds friendship in an unexpected man, Red - a convicted murder. Despite the opposition of life, Andy and Red endure the long years of prison together, learning and growing from each others differences. Andy has a sort of way about him that disturbs most - because he is different. His chin is held high and his fortitude is steady. He doesn't falter. He has a plan all the while.
Red was what the insiders call "institutionalized", meaning they have spent their life incarcerated. This is is the only way of life they know - it's what they are good at. As a young man, he took the life of someone else, spending the bulk of his inside the walls of Shawshank. This is where he met Andy. The two became inseparable friends, trusting and encouraging the other to see the bigger plan for their life. Ironically, Andy had spent his nearly two decades in prison tunneling through the prison wall with a rock hammer. He escaped to Zihuatanejo but not before leaving a very significant letter for Red under an important tree previously directed to Red.
"Get busy livin', or get busy dyin'."
After Red is released on parole, he contemplates the inevitable and convenient return to his 50-year home of Shawshank Prison. He makes a leap of courage - or faith so have you. He remembers his promise to Andy and ventures to the tree in Buxton, digging up the letter and enough cash for him to comfortably decide his fate. Red violates his parole by getting on a bus and traveling to the sandy beach of Zihuatanejo, where he meets his friend again.
Often times I find myself living by the premise of this film. It's a sound directive to live a full life, unaltered by temporary tribulations and the weight of hopelessness. Unfortunately, there's no handbook titled "How To Live The Perfect Life". We live a fulfilling life by selflessly loving others through our actions. We learn that we repel humans when we have self-centered agendas. We learn to never settle for less than we deserve. To sweat the small things. That sometimes the sound of silence can be the sweetest melody. We love with our whole heart and on a few occasions that isn't enough. Sometimes we are destroyed, but the beauty of life is discovered when we regain our light -
our hope.
Realizing this, we open our wings and take flight, soaring through this glorious light. This light -
this hope - engulfs us. The clouds come, the rains pour, but we are dancers. Awake and unafraid.
Hope. A good thing. Maybe the best of things. And no good thing ever dies.
- Kristen
