CHOOSE 2 THINK
  • Home
  • Mentoring
  • FUM Online Course
  • Podcast
  • Books & Membership
  • FREEBIE
  • Blog
  • Exclusives
  • Merch
    • Amazon Merch
  • Podcast Guest Form
  • Guest Writers
  • Connect
  • Media Kit
  • Declutter Challenge
  • Fired Up Mind Challenge
  • Home
  • Mentoring
  • FUM Online Course
  • Podcast
  • Books & Membership
  • FREEBIE
  • Blog
  • Exclusives
  • Merch
    • Amazon Merch
  • Podcast Guest Form
  • Guest Writers
  • Connect
  • Media Kit
  • Declutter Challenge
  • Fired Up Mind Challenge
Search
Intellifluence Trusted Blogger
Picture

Oxygen

11/14/2013

 
Picture
Can I ramble with you for a second?  Lesia and I watched Gravity  this past Sunday.  We both can relate to Sandra B's character Ryan when she hits the sandy beach at the end of the movie.  Baby steps for both of us for way different reasons, but deeply motivational and inspiring nonetheless.  

One thing puzzled me.  I couldn't figure out why Ryan had any purpose for living other than the biological will to survive.  She had no family on earth, no one who cared about her (her own confession).  Her daughter had tragically died at a young age in what should have been a common and non life-threatening accident.  To cope, Ryan became consumed by work and mindless driving to pass the hours after work. She loved being in outer space because of the silence, an allusion perhaps to her feeling numb and detached.

In one of several climactical moments, Ryan, at wit's end, conceded to death and  turned off the oxygen dispensers in the cabin in order to simply fall asleep.  With impeccable timing and in an otherwise "spoofy" moment of the movie, the gentleman Matt (George C) who had hours before presumably died in order to save her life suddenly reappeared.  (Picture Clarence getting George Bailey's attention from the rushing river in It's a Wonderful Life.)  Here we have Matt knocking on the round cabin window amidst freezing temperatures and against all logical odds.  He gets Ryan's attention all right.    

Calm, collected, and  humorous, Matt works his way into the cabin and nestles in as if he expects two o'clock tea.  In a few reflective moments, he admonishes Ryan to choose life, to try to live.  He beseeches her not to give up now in what has been one wild ride.  That moment was critically pivotal to her, and suddenly, on a dime's turn, she became determined to live. 

I didn't get it.  I understand the otherwise altruistic motivation to survive that we muster when we have folks who need us and depend on us and we have purpose to serve others and do things for them, to sacrifice on their  behalf.  But if I thought  my  life had no relational connections or purpose, well, I'd probably check out, also. After Matt's pep talk, she still didn't have folks on earth, so why the renewed determination to live?  

Lesia's insightful take was that Ryan had a rekindled will to live because Matt had died in order to save her.  If she simply had given up after all they had been through, well, what would that say of Matt's sacrificial death on her behalf?  

Lesia had summed up the Gospel! 

Picture
I loved this thought!  As a Christian, I would do better to remember that God has me here for reasons that even transcend my deeply personal and meaningful human relationships.  Christ's death alone substantiates our value and purpose.  Considering this profound mystery, I should do my very best not to take His death for granted.

Life is terribly difficult for most of us, and some have more than a fair share of hardship.  Yet when trials beat us black and blue, we absolutely cannot give up.  Yes, there is a biological drive to survive.  Yes, there is a relational drive to live on behalf of others we love. 

But the greatest motivator to persevere and take our stand ought to be  foundationally sustained from the never ending gratitude we feel because Christ so loved us that He was willing to die for us -- come what may.  

We surrender to God, but we never quit, no matter what earthly adversities we  may  face.  When we find ourselves battle weary, gasping for oxygen, and crawling onto the shore, may we grasp the warm, wet sand between our fingers and fearlessly declare, "Thank you."

...

But the greatest of these is love.
1 Corinthians 13:13

 

Comments are closed.
    Picture

    Hot Topics

    All
    Addiction
    Books
    Brain
    C2T Digital Courses
    C2T Merch
    Choose 2 Think Podcast
    Comfort
    Conflict
    Creativity
    Current Events
    Day To Day
    Detox
    Devotional
    Emotions
    Fear
    Gratitude
    Grief
    Guest Blogger
    Health
    Heart And Mind
    Home Ec
    Hope
    JOY
    Ky Small Biz
    Love
    Marriage
    Menopause
    Mindsets
    NANApreneurship
    Non Profit Organizations
    Patience
    Praise
    Psalms
    Restoration
    Shame
    Small Biz
    Spain
    Surveys
    Thought Strategy Session
    Trust

    RSS Feed

    All content © Victoria D. Walker, 2013-2022.
All rights reserved. Copyright ©VictoriaD.Walker, 2013-present.  Material from  choose2think.co  may not be copied,  reproduced, or distributed in any way without consent.  Scripture quotations, unless otherwise noted, taken from the New American Standard Bible, Copyright 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation.  Use by permission.  (www.Lockman.org).   Bragging rights for stock photos go to UnSplash, Pexels, Pixabay, and Canva.    The information contained on this website  is for educational and informational purposes only and is not intended as health or medical advice. Always consult a physician or other qualified health provider regarding any questions you may have about a medical condition or health objectives.  Your information is safe with us. If you opt in to our newsletter or provide personal information such as name and email, this information is never sold.  *As an Amazon Associate I may earn a small commission from qualifying purchases. 
Photos used under Creative Commons from INTVGene, photoloni, classroomcamera, Rosenfeld Media, david.nikonvscanon, Free For Commercial Use (FFC), Ionics, Georgie Pauwels, Free For Commercial Use (FFC), Art4TheGlryOfGod by Sharon, Antonio Marano, libertyslens, jafsegal (Thanks for the 4 million views), glen.dahlman, Mister-E, h.koppdelaney, sarah|rose, Agnes_F, pennuja, Daquella manera, TomCollins, erink_photography, torbakhopper, AntonStetner, Thomas Fisher Rare Book Library, UofT, Javcon117*, Carl Campbell, bud ellison - from the street, VIVOBAREFOOT, Free For Commercial Use (FFC), Elin B, DeeAshley, auntjojo, dejankrsmanovic, One Click Group UK, barnimages.com, Steve @ the alligator farm, x1klima, Mike Licht, NotionsCapital.com, Ktoine, trendingtopics, wuestenigel, AntonStetner, marcoverch, marciadotcom, wuestenigel, berniedup, Mannia&Titta, Semtrio, wuestenigel, Joe The Goat Farmer, anaulin, dejankrsmanovic, Ramona.Forcella, RichardBH, Brett Jordan, Phototravelography, MixedGrill, Free Public Domain Illustrations by rawpixel, spaceodissey, Horia Varlan, SupportPDX, Kevin Doncaster, Kiwi Mikex, bluebirdsandteapots, ccPixs.com, marcoverch, jennnster, Tobyotter, Fan.D & Dav.C Photgraphy, francesxcabrini, cuatrok77, Liam Quinn, mattieb, Sam Howzit, Bombardier, geyergus, josemanuelerre, mike.harris666, j neuberger, velkr0, Jonathan Kos-Read, AK Rockefeller, alsteele, chrisbulle, pasotraspaso, Vox Efx, lrargerich, KnockOut_Photographs, Steve Snodgrass, ictsan, padshewscky, rob.wall, RLEVANS, lcm1863, CarbonNYC, Pink Sherbet Photography, faungg, jean-louis zimmermann, The Moving Architects, ell brown, S. Parker, mikebaird, Clevergrrl, iamthatphotoguy, arka D, martinteschner, Tim Green aka atoach, Daniel E Bruce, FutureLight Studios, Sweet Carolina Photography, Lauren Manning, 【J】, dullhunk, amslerPIX, TheAlieness GiselaGiardino²³, Aya Demeter Photography & Design, worobod, hectorlandaeta, Pavel ahmed, skedonk, philnelson, El Bibliomata, h.koppdelaney, Albion Europe ApS, ~Merete, Randy Son Of Robert, khawkins04, .Bala, Perspective on Art, EricaJoy, Afroswede, ZerO 81, Jaypeg21, PhoTones_TAKUMA, W J (Bill) Harrison, Skinned Mink, Craig Spence, myhsu, margaretsdad, Rosenwald, ilkerender, jessleecuizon, Carlos Gracia, Patrick Feller, zigazou76, daniel spils, Grafik Mekanik, MeganMc89, jenny downing, FutureLight Studios, Kelly Colgan Azar, Patrick Hoesly, Claudio , fireflythegreat, rmhowie, mollystevens, LornaWatt, phrawr, MAMJODH, OliBac, TenaciousR, MCetty, visualpanic, ChadCooperPhotos, theseanster93, themostinept, Keith Allison, Rodrigo_Soldon, photogramma1, Nesster, VinothChandar, Katie@!, billoberstjr, ~yienshawn92~, rambla, AbbyD11, martinak15, Ed Yourdon, MSVG, wplynn, Manoj Kengudelu, ken2754@Yokohama, Arry_B, quinn.anya, Mister-E, byJoeLodge, gags9999, nick.amoscato, AForestFrolic, steakpinball, patti haskins
  • Home
  • Mentoring
  • FUM Online Course
  • Podcast
  • Books & Membership
  • FREEBIE
  • Blog
  • Exclusives
  • Merch
    • Amazon Merch
  • Podcast Guest Form
  • Guest Writers
  • Connect
  • Media Kit
  • Declutter Challenge
  • Fired Up Mind Challenge