THE CHOICES WE MAKE
"All I know is, the choices we make dictate the life we lead." - Bill Rago.
Image Source: Brett Jordan (Unsplash)
Last weekend, I watched the 1994 film Renaissance Man starring Danny DeVito. The plot follows unemployed advertising executive Bill Rago. The unemployment office finds Bill a job as an instructor, charged with assisting Army basic training recruits who are struggling to understand the tasks required to graduate and advance to advanced training.
Bill begrudgingly accepts the assignment, bemoaning that he is not a teacher. The eight recruits in his class are less than enthusiastic about being his charges (Bill never served in the military). The first assignment for the troops is to write a short paper explaining why they joined the Army. Each student related their story, and Bill quickly learned these young kids came from either broken homes or had broken dreams.
Bill chose Shakespeare's Hamlet to improve his students' comprehension skills. Initially, these students did not trust Bill or his motives, but as the movie progresses, rapport develops between the students and the teacher. As his students' comprehension improves, Bill becomes introspective about his relationship with his own daughter, whom he chastised for wanting to be an astronomer.
Rago realizes that the bond between himself and his daughter is weakening. In one scene, Bill tells his students that the choices they make will dictate the lives they lead. The lesson he imparts is that, regardless of circumstances or upbringing, we are responsible for our actions and should own them.
Too often in modern society, it is easier to point the finger and blame others for choices we made, or the goals we did not achieve. Social media platforms are riddled with this type of blame-game behavior. Family members, friends, organizations, and elected officials too often fall into this trap and snipe at others rather than own their individual choices.
I am not saying that one hundred percent of everything that happens is predicated upon choices we make. Still, we should mindfully examine our role in any relationship or transaction before we point the finger at another. With pause, we can improve relationships as well as our position in this often chaotic world.
At the end of the movie, one of the soldiers successfully recited a scene in Hamlet for his drill instructor. During the oral final exam, all eight students successfully related the core concepts of this play to Bill. Bill proudly attended their basic training graduation and re-upped for another round of students during the next class cycle. He also supported his daughter's goal in astronomy, thus repairing their relationship.
Like Bill (and his students), we will have countless opportunities to course-correct as we work toward leading more fulfilling lives. Pause, take responsibility, and make this world a better place to live not only for ourselves, but for others in kind.
I leave you with a memorable and inspiring scene from Rocky Balboa where Rocky imparts this same wisdom to his son. Until next time -
Namaste,
Tim
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