Sometimes the simplest yet most profound messages come to us from the unlikeliest of sources. In many cases, those messengers deliver their insights metaphorically and unwittingly, with an almost “innocent” nature, as if to give license to the notion of “out of the mouths of babes.” So imagine how valuable that information can be when its impact is significant and inspired and comes at a time when the stakes are at their highest.
Friendship is one of those subjects that doesn’t receive nearly enough meaningful attention in the movies. Yet, when we look at its prevalence in life and the many forms it can take, it certainly provides plenty of fodder for engaging storytelling, given that it’s a topic we can all ultimately relate to – and in myriad ways at that. Films that explore unusual and fascinating expressions of this concept are among the most engaging, as seen in a new documentary that examines what it’s like for old friends to get to know one another all over again in a new context.
There are so many things that can go wrong in life that it hardly seems wise, practical or prudent to go looking for ways to make our existence needlessly grueling. Yet, if we’re truly honest with ourselves, there are plenty of situations that can all too easily yield undue stress, pain and difficulty – and all as a result of our own making, too. But why would we do that?
What makes us successful as creative beings? That’s a question that scholars, philosophers and artists have been asking rhetorically for eons. Much, of course, depends on the nature of the creation. A lot also depends on the traits and temperaments of the creators. But the actual mix of attributes necessary for achieving such fulfillment may ultimately be difficult to define – or, as the French might say, a certain je ne sais quoi.
Getting along with others sometimes isn’t easy, even under the best of circumstances. Differences – of almost any kind – can become obstacles that impede communications and understanding, potentially making relations between individuals and groups problematic or even impossible. But conditions need not remain that way if we make an effort to get past them, an undertaking that generally calls for finding common ground and seeking solidarity.
Adjusting to new outlooks that override established beliefs can be difficult for some of us. We’ve become so entrenched in certain ways of thinking that it’s hard to embrace new ones. We may not understand the revised concepts, either because they’re too radical or esoteric for us to grasp or because they’re not explained in easily comprehensible ways, perhaps too vague or too overly intellectualized. Or we may simply be unwilling to adopt such new thoughts because they make us feel uncomfortable. But, then, there are also those who take to them readily, either out of curiosity or an undeniably instinctual awareness.
Imagine living in a country where citizens are effectively not allowed to think for themselves, where their beliefs are determined for them. And the dogma used to drill those thoughts into their minds is so formidable and so pervasive that most residents readily capitulate, even reaching a point where they gladly and willingly comply with the dictates planted in their consciousness. They accept conditions for what they are and even celebrate them, readily buying into the notion that they’re living in some kind of paradise, deplorable circumstances to the contrary notwithstanding. However, when individuals are coerced into a situation where it’s impossible to know – or even believe – any differently, it’s not surprising that they comply.
It’s never easy to face difficult situations, especially when they’re impending and it seems as though they’re inevitable, circumstances in which there’s nothing we can do about them. Indeed, it’s hard enough for us as adults to process and cope with such conditions, but how are children supposed to handle these kinds of situations? Youngsters seldom possess the experience and wisdom needed to deal with their feelings.
Given humanity’s tremendous capacity for compassion and benevolence, it’s somewhat hard to believe that we’re also capable of qualities at the opposite end of the spectrum. When we consider the magnanimity we often exhibit in times of crisis, it’s difficult to fathom how we can also demonstrate troubling degrees of callous, uncaring indifference toward our fellow man. Yet, if we examine the scope of human history, we can’t willfully ignore the many instances of cruel disregard and unspeakable atrocities we’ve inflicted on others.
The now-famous opening line of the Charles Dickens classic A Tale of Two Cities – “It was the best of times, it was the worst of times” – has become virtually synonymous for describing situations that are simultaneously both joyous yet difficult. In many ways, this is a scenario that seems almost unfathomable, one whose very existence is hard to imagine, let alone endure. Yet many among us have nevertheless experienced such challenging, ironic and contradictory conditions, circumstances that ultimately push us to find the means to survive and to overcome the ordeals posed to us so that we can truly enjoy the best of what life has to offer while putting the worst behind us.
