And it was at that time that I thought about Thomas Jefferson writing that Declaration of Independence. Him saying that we have the right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. And I thought about how he knew to put the 'pursuit' in there, like no one can actually have happiness. We can only pursue it.
now that's kinda sad...but what is happiness anyway??
the first time i saw the trailer for this movie a pursuit to happyness i was actually moved to tears. trailer pa lang yun ha. but then again am such a sucker for father-son relationships...there's always somethin melancholic about fathers striving life and limb for their children...oh well...
but watching the entire movie is an entirely different feeling...yeah, i was moved to tears just the same, though slight lang...i was more moved by chris gardner's (will smith) determination to get what he wants. great thing is that he is really smart and he is bent on achieving what he wants. i dunno how man could do that. his wife leaves him taking care of his little son, he lived on every dollar he has, faces jail time, bein thrown out of his apartment. sometimes you wish it can't be all true. but chris gardner is a real man. he actually walked this earth. and has lived through the odds.
this is more or less a great, inspring story for the cutthroat corporate industry. that people can always start small and still manage to emerge succesful and powerful and drive that ultra shiny red convertible and be a multi-millionaire someday.
but it also teaches us to never lose the heart...to never cease showing compassion for other people. sometimes we set our dreams too high. we focus so hard on getting there that we tend to not see the people around us that matters. chris always has his son, he never left him. and though it was not shown in the movie, chris continued to support the homeless, giving funds and sharing his time. he also continued to advocate for the well-being of children by showing them how much it means to have their responsible and committed fathers around them. he later got a Father of the Year award. such a great guy indeed.
being happy doesn't only mean getting what you wanted and dreamed of...it's about sharing what you got and letting others feel at least a little bit of what you have too.
so you think you're happy now?
"...like no one can have happiness. we can only pursue it."
ReplyDeletelang, when i first saw the trailer of this movie, i was at once reminded of ayn rand. when i watched and i reached that part where Smith's character realized the significance of the word "pursuit" in the Declaration of Independence, and how the Founding Fathers accurately constructed the text, i became convinced that this is a film Ayn Rand would enjoy.
it's not really sad, if one considers the significance of the word pursuit and the concept of rights.
Simply put: what we have is not the right to happiness, but the right the pursuit of happiness. it doesn't mean others must make us happy, but only to let us be free in that pursuit.
Man works for his own happiness.
doms! great to find you here lurking :D
ReplyDeletei've totally forgotten about ayn rand...oh, this must be one of my flaws after motherhood heheh...out of character ba??
yeah, ayn rand has become a memory in my distant past..though i remember loving her so much then...be free to pursue your own happiness no matter what the costs, no matter who you go against...yeah, yeah...but i'm not the type who's still an uncompromising individualist eh...haay i've changed...:D