Be kind and Rewind
Sometimes it is important to rewind to those difficult times in one’s life. A good movie clip may capture our heart for a few moments and remind us to think about the stuff that truly counts. We may find ourselves rewinding to that specific clip because it helps us to cope with or recoup from the stresses in life. I found myself doing just that the other day. I remembered the label on the spine of the old VHS cassettes I had rented from my local Blockbuster store. “Be Kind and Rewind.”
I thought what an interesting philosophy this if we were to apply to our lives. I thought of how often I need to rewind to the famous movie embedded in my heart and brain since I started watching movies. I very often go back to a book and look for the folded pages or highlighted spots that may help me get some insight on how to resolve an issue. But the rewind mechanism can be a beautiful thing. The thought of first being kind and then rewinding signifies a different thought process. It assumes that we are all capable of being kind. How could one be kind to someone who has just made your life impossible or maybe has even hurt you physically? The truth is that it is very difficult to go back and think about the circumstances that may have led to someone being thoughtless, rude, hurtful, selfish or insulting.
I tried this new idea the other day out of sheer desperation to find a way to cope with a situation that was giving me enormous amounts of stress. I ended up rewinding to a movie clip and tried to visualize the moment when Chris Gardner, played by Will Smith in the movie “Pursuit of Happyness” stops to reflect on what he has just said to his son about playing basketball and how his son might be like his dad just an average player. (click on link to watch.) I viewed this clip in my head and coached myself back to a good place. I told myself this person might think they have put me down but they cannot. I will not empower them that way. I will kill them with kindness and I will be compassionate because I know deep in my soul that they need someone to believe in them too. I felt revived, rejuvenated, and in a very peaceful mindset. Then I started listing those other clips that had given me peace, offered my a little more knowledge of life and or made me a tad wiser. Now I have a repertoire of movie clips to draw from when things are not going as well. Because in the end no one is responsible for your “happyness” and no one should try to rob you of your happiness either.
Poemattic: Poetry and Art for the Soul 