Some viewers are fainting and/or taking a break from the screening of 127 Hours to regain their composure. Almost all critics are raving about the movie. According to an article on the front page of this Sunday’s LA Times, Director Danny Boyle (Slumdog Millionaire) intended on giving the audience an intense emotional experience to the point where the rooting for climber Aron Ralston, played by James Franco, to survive feels as if our own lives were at stake. He has apparently succeeds and then some.
For those of you unaware of the true story behind the movie, in 2003 Ralston went hiking into the Utah wilderness without telling anyone where he was going and with scant supplies. In an isolated gully his arm became pinned by a falling chockstone. Five days later facing death, Ralston heroically self amputated his arm using a dull multi-purpose tool. This summary is obviously hopelessly incomplete in describing the situation. We likely need to see the movie to better understand this incredible story.
My point is that when we are pinned down and have no “they” to blame or rely on, self accountability as an understood concept becomes crystal clear. Now I’m not suggesting we should go it alone nor do I want to trivialize this situation. But I do wonder what positive things might happen if all of us realized just how much power and ability we have to persevere, to make things better, and to appreciate the resources we have and what we can do.
My intent here is to spotlight an extreme case to make an everyday point. We can do so much when we choose to. None of us want to be tested like Ralston was. Thank goodness we don’t need to be but we can sure learn from him.
I’m looking forward to the movie.
Live the Triangle,
Lorne