Anyone that knows me well will know that I have two big passions. One is music which many of you will now be aware of! The other is films. My “tips” this month therefore has a film related tint.
One of my favourite films of all time (and many other people’s) is the Shawshank Redemption. And for me the strongest theme running through that film is of particular importance to us now. Right at the end of the film Andy (Tim Robbin’s character) says in a letter to his old friend Red (Morgan Freeman’s character): “Remember Red, hope is a good thing, maybe the best of things, and no good thing ever dies.”
Now while I find it hard to believe that anyone has not seen this film I’ll try not to give too much about the ending of the film away. But for those who have seen it they will see what Andy’s hope meant for him. It gave him the strength to endure much, to persevere, to keep working hard for what he dreamt of. Isn’t that the kind of thing we could all do with more of at the moment?
Another quote that I think of particularly in these times is from the recent batman film, the Dark Knight: “The night is darkest just before the dawn. And I promise you the dawn is coming.” (And I’m sure I remember an almost identical quote from Lord of the Rings: Return of the King.)
So my tip for this month then? Find something to hope for, if you can find something that is as certain as the rising of the sun tomorrow morning. Because it will carry you through any difficulties you may have to face before then. So I leave you with a final quote (£5 from my own pocket for the first person to email me with where I’ve quoted it from): “hope does not disappoint us”
