The movie Forrest Gump has dozens of life lessons. In fact, almost every scene has something important to teach. That’s one of the reasons the movie still resonates with people 23 years after it was released.
Three important lessons keep repeating themselves from the opening piano music through the closing credits.
The three lessons are:
- Opportunities
- Choices
- Life is a Journey
The Feather
The movie begins with a feather floating from the sky and landing at the foot of Forrest Gump. Forrest reaches down and picks it it. The feather is a metaphor for the opportunities that seem to magically appear in our lives. Some call it chance. Some call it luck. Some call it fate. Throughout the movie, Forrest had magical opportunities appear at exactly the right moment.
I believe we’re all connected. There are no coincidences. We reap what we sow. Forrest Gump believed good things would happen if you took action and worked hard. Good things did happen to Forrest. Throughout his life the feather of opportunity appeared like magic exactly when it was needed.
The Chocolate Box
Mama famously told Forrest, “Life is like a box of chocolates … ya never know what you’re gonna get”. What she stated was the uncertainty from the choices we make. Implied was our freedom of choice. Forrest did get to select whatever chocolate he wanted. We all have the freedom to choose.
Throughout Forrest’s life he made many choices. Most importantly, he took responsibility for those choices. He accepted what resulted – he took the good with the bad. He embraced life’s uncertainty.
It takes Gumption to take 100% personal responsibility for our choices. If we do, things like blame and pessimism and anger disappear. Forrest took responsibility and lived a life full of peace, love & Gumption.
The Nike Sneakers
Jenny gave Forrest the best birthday gift ever – a pair of running shoes. The shoes represent the journey of life. The movie is the story of Forrest’s life journey. You never actually arrive, you just keep on going. Learning to enjoy the journey is the key to happiness. Forrest demonstrates the ability to both persevere and enjoy. His example teaches us how to enjoy the journey of our own lives.
Our life journey has many life chapters. Each chapter has a beginning and an end. The end of one life chapter starts a new life chapter. Each chapter presents new opportunities. Each chapter challenges us to make new choices. Embracing opportunities and taking responsibility for our choices makes successful life chapters. A successful chapter is preparation for our next life chapter. The journey of life.
The movie still resonates with people in 2017 because it reminds us that life is full of opportunities. Life is a series of choices. Life is a journey filled with many chapters.
Forrest embraced the opportunities, choices, and journey. The movie teaches us how to do the same.