Moving Forward

I watched a couple of Japanese movies on YouTube this evening quite by happenstance. I had never heard of them before this afternoon, and stumbled on them completely by chance. In fact, i don't even remember how i stumbled on them, i certainly wasn't looking for them, or for a movie to watch for that matter. I only started watching the first one because one of the lead actresses is a huge hit in Japan right now, having just played the star role in the 2008 NHK year-long drama.

When i stumbled onto the first movie, i figured i'd watch the first few episodes and then work on some studying i wanted to do today. Because it was about a punk rock band trying to make it big in Japan, it was completely out of character for the type of move i would usually watch, and for that reason, i was astounded to find myself watch the whole thing — at just under two hours.

What was even more amazing was that after watching the last episode, and then noticing that there was a sequel as well, i watched that too! Amazing. I don't even like punk rock.

So why did i watch them? They weren't great movies by my standards, but i had been transfixed for about four hours. While making supper, i wondered why i was watching them, even though i knew that i would go back and watch the last of the sequel as soon as supper was ready. And i did keep watching, and then, about 10 minutes from the very end of the sequel, the movie itself told me why it had come to Lockport and visited me today.

At that time, just as success was finally opening the door and asking the band to come in, the lead character was wondering about the ups and downs she had gone through, and why the downs seemed to be more than the ups so much of the time. And, as if she was talking to me, as if she was telling me why they had made me watch, she gave me the message.

"I think life is gently going whichever direction you find yourself going. And finding yourself adrift isn't such a stupid thing — if you keep advancing forwards."

I know that. I have always know that. But sometimes it is so easy to forget and to wonder why the downs seem to overwhelm the ups from time to time. If you're not careful, it's easy to lose focus and not see which direction you are supposed to be going. To settle for being adrift. Complacency can get you. Laziness can get you. Greed can get you. A lot of things can blur your focus.

And that's when the universe sees fit to sit you in a chair and put a movie on if that's the only way it can get the message through your thick skull.

Thanks Nana. Thanks universe.

(But next time, put the message in the first 10 minutes instead of the last 10 so i don't have to sit there for so long. Or put it in a martial arts film with Zhang Ziyi as the lead.)