Pursuing Happiness

A recent movie I watched, called The Pursuit of Happyness (2006). This was a movie that moved me so much that it immediately had become one of my favorite movies of all time. The philosophical meaning of the movie is something I will treasure for the rest of my life. To begin, the movie is about a Chris Gardener, played by one of my favorite actors Will Smith, and his son who comes to a point in his life where he struggles to make ends meet and eventually becomes homeless. When things are progressively getting worst Chris Gardener, who is also supporting his son, is constantly fighting for a better life as he struggles to make ends meet. The following quotes that were addressed in this movie, as well as in the book, are more precious to me than gold itself.

“The future was uncertain, absolutely, and there were many hurdles, twists, and turns to come, but as long as I kept moving forward, one foot in front of the other, the voices of fear and shame, the messages from those who wanted me to believe that I wasn't good enough, would be stilled.”

“Others may question your credentials, your papers, your degrees. Others may look for all kinds of ways to diminish your worth. But what is inside you no one can take from you or tarnish. This is your worth, who you really are, your degree that can go with you wherever you go, that you bring with you the moment you come into a room, that can't be manipulated or shaken. Without that sense of self, no amount of paper, no pedigree, and no credentials can make you legit. No matter what, you have to feel legit inside first.”

“It was right then that I started thinking about Thomas Jefferson on the Declaration of Independence and the part about our right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. And I remember thinking how did he know to put the pursuit part in there? That maybe happiness is something that we can only pursue and maybe we can actually never have it. No matter what. How did he know that?”

And my most favorite quote:

“Hey. Don't ever let somebody tell you... You can't do something. Not even me. All right?”

“You got a dream... You gotta protect it. People can't do somethin' themselves, they wanna tell you you can't do it. If you want somethin', go get it. Period.”

After watching this movie, I can honestly say my life has changed. I look at what others want me to be and do and I decide if it’s right for me. Routinely, I look at where I want to be in life and what I need to do to get there. I will always understand that life will never be easy. There will always be self-doubt and obstacles; however, as long as I can listen and think for myself with clarity, or even have that next step of what needs to be done next, I will continue to work on where I want to be until my goals materialize. When I eventually get there, I imagine the reward will be fruitful and the sacrifice will define my achievement. Until then, it's a bumpy ride.