“Life is like a movie, write your own ending.” – Jim Henson
During today’s late-night social media travels, I happened to come across this quote. It really made my head spin, and all the bored sections inside my brain that were just WAITING to be triggered immediately lit up.
This quote really stresses me out, as I am absolutely not a fan of endings; whether it being the end of a story or poem that I’m reading, the end of a beautiful moment or even the end of a sandwich. Most of all, I hate writing my own endings. I never know how to end my poems or stories because I get too attached and hate letting go.
I feel like when something ends it takes with it a part of me that I’d never get back, and in the movie of my life, of course, I’d want a happy ending, but is it really happy if it ends once and for all? That’s something to think about. In addition to that, the ending has to be as good as the expectations my audience have built during the entire movie, and that is something else that I don’t like; expectations. Also, I certainly don’t want it to end at the peak of audience excitement or at the plot because I hate it when movies do that; it always feels unfinished.
(If my life was really a movie it would definitely fall under the genre of “romantic comedy/drama” as my romantic life is an absolute comedy, and drama follows me wherever I go!)
Another problem is, when a movie finishes, it ends. That’s it. A sequel is not always promised, and in most cases it’s never quite as good as the first one. There are no new beginnings with movie endings, therefore I am not a fan of this quote.
To be frank, I don’t really feel like my life is like a movie, but more of a TV series. Movies are way too limiting, and if a movie is still boring by the 15th minute, chances are the rest of it won’t be that entertaining either, so just get up & leave.
On the other hand, series have much more possibilities. For example, on my favorite TV series, HIMYM, I personally love season 3 more than seasons 1 & 2. So, if life is anything like a TV series, you won’t have to worry about just one ending, as each ending will most probably be followed by a fresh, new start.
Besides, whether life is like a movie, TV series or even a commercial, at the end of the day you are your own audience and if you don’t keep yourself entertained plus teach yourself valuable lessons, you are destined for trouble.
Anyway, in the comedy series that is my life, each different stage of my existence is a new season that brings with it new characters while gets rid of some, but the main characters are & will forever be there, even if it is just the memory of them that remains. Each new season also offers new plots, new mistakes, new lessons, new adventures, second chances, redemption and new endings.
Like many comedy series, being the main character and what-not, my life is quite problematic and humor has always been my main defense mechanism. Thanks to friends & family, sarcasm and irony are issues I tackle on a daily basis. I like to violate expectations the way punch-lines do, as well as make unusual, bold observations about society & the environment that surrounds me. I tend to exaggerate situations most of the time & eventually make fun of my own shortcomings or, rest assured, someone else will.
Moreover, like many comedy series, friends & family play the most important roles in mine. There is always that friend who calls me in the middle of the night with the pettiest problem that I’ll have to address immediately in a very serious manner. There is always that person who briefly appears in my life just to teach me a lesson, and I end up learning it the hard way, as drama in comedy series is inevitable. There is always that politically incorrect older relative who manages to insult populations with just one sentence, but I somehow end up in a situation where I’ll have to respectfully sit through an entire conversation and use up all of my patience trying not to snap at them. There is always the sibling who helps me escape an unnecessary problem, or ends up doing something stupid that will cost them a few months of non-stop jokes made at their expense. There is always the parent who gives me valuable advice that I don’t take, but at the end of the day I’ll come to realize that they were right. There is always the person who laughs at me when I fall, but they will only laugh while picking me up.
Those are the kind of people I have been blessed with having so far in the comedy series of my life.
So, in conclusion, life is nothing like a movie.
Life is like a TV series, so choose your actors wisely and know that with each season comes a new beginning and endless possbilities of growth.