The movie Forrest Gump touched, moved, and inspired people 20+ years ago. The life lessons from the movie are just as relevant today as they were back in 1994. They give the movie it’s timeless nature.
This series is dedicated to listing the many life lessons from the movie that we can incorporate into our daily lives to feel more peace and love … and to live our lives with Gumption.
The Journey Consists of Life Chapters
Life Lesson #3 is life is a journey. This lesson builds on that idea and breaks down the journey of life into life chapters.
Forrest Gump’s major life chapters included:
- Boy
- High school
- College playing football
- Army
- Ping pong
- Shrimp board captain
- Retired
- Run across America
- Marrying Jenny
- Being a father
Within any single life chapter, it’s possible to break down that chapter into sub-chapters.
Let’s look at Forrest’s shrimp boat captain days and sub-divide further:
- Buying the boat
- Failure
- Naming the boat
- Lt. Dan arrives
- More failure
- Hurricane
- Success
Within every major life chapter, there are lots of sub-chapters. And within each sub-chapter, there are many mini-chapters.
Every day is a series of mini-events that contribute to the sub-chapters and major life chapters of our lives.
Some major life chapters last for years … or maybe they last for only a short time.
Sub-chapters can also go on for years … or they can be one-time events.
It’s easy to see the life chapters of Forrest Gump when we view the movie.
It’s easy to see our own life chapters as we look backwards in time.
It’s helpful to understand our own life chapters and sub-chapters as they are occurring. Why?
- To maintain a big-picture perspective
- To understand that challenges and problems are only details – and not major chapters in themselves
- To better enjoy the journey of life
Accepting that life is a journey and that the journey consists of many, many chapters and sub-chapters permits more peace and love … and the ability to live one’s life with Gumption.
The movie Forrest Gump shows how fully embracing a single life chapter leads to success and the next life chapter. The journey of life continues. It’s the joy of living.