This evening I watched the film "An Education," from 2009. It was moderately enjoyable--I enjoyed the frequent French references, and the 1960's British culture. The plot wasn't of terrible interest to me, but what I found more interesting were the questions it evoked. Without giving away too much, I left the film wondering, "Why do I do the things I do?" One particular line stood out to me; it is spoken by the film's main character, sixteen-year-old Jenny: "If you never do anything, you never become anyone." It's almost as if actions do, in fact, define character.
In some respects, I suppose I can agree with this. I'm all about the "Actions speak louder than words" cliché, but I also believe that there's more to a person than what he does. Perhaps this line particularly irked me because it seems to make light of a conservative life. In terms of its context, the director certainly made it appear that a quiet life of studying and teaching was somehow worth less than one of adventures and boisterous partying. But this may have been only the view of a naïve schoolgirl, who soon comes to realize that there is in fact more to life than the excitement of falling in love.
I feel that the real answer is somewhere in between these views, and though I don't feel pressured to fully come to a conclusion right now, I'm grateful I had the opportunity to consider these things tonight. There are times when I believe I would be content without attending University, but I feel blessed to have these moments of self-realization.
I hope to continue to post here in the future. Likely, I will post my thoughts as I travel abroad, including events that spark my interest and make me think. I know it is easy for me to become complacent and too lazy to think critically about issues that are important. Maybe this blog will help me consider my life and come to a closer understanding of this life, those around me, and my direction.
