This summer, I’ve spent quite a few nights watching movies online. My tendency right now has seemed to lie with Japanese movies—more specifically, Studio Ghibli. It’s been great watching these movies, soaking in the stories. Story.
Stories can inspire. Inspire to do what depends on what the story contains, but nevertheless, they do inspire. After all, stories are not plastic. They are reflections of the heart. Even if the story is a lie, the intent of the lie is reflected from the heart. But I digress… and probably shouldn’t continue the digression, seeing how it’d be a good blog for another time.
One of the movies that has touched me is “Whisper of the Heart.” It’s the only Studio Ghibli movie I’ve seen that wasn’t made by Miyazaki. I also rewatched it on a pretty special day, so that might be why it has more meaning to me. The story is a romantic one, but beyond that, it’s also about life. The main character, Shizuku, reaches a point where she wonders what she wants in life. A person that she admires already knows what he wants to be, yet she’s just a girl who spends time going to school, reading books, but no real aim in life.
Shizuku explains this problem to a nice elderly man she met earlier, Nishi-san. In response, he shows her a rock with a crack. Deep inside, theres a crystal. But the crystal itself isn’t worth as much as the smaller pieces of beryl found inside the crystal. He says that there are probably even more precious gems within the beryl that we cannot even see. While there are precious jewels inside the rock, at face value, the rock is still a rock. It takes refinement and polishing to get to the desired jem.
I believe that each of us has a gift. Inside every rock, God has instilled a gem of some sort. It may not be an specific occupation like Shizuku’s passion for writing. Some have the gift of hospitality. Not necessarily a money roller, but still a gift. Inside each of us, there’s some gift that’s in need of digging.
Many get stuck at the state whether or not they have a gem. I guess I could be at that stage. Right now, what gets me is that I have so many passions for different facets of life. Digging and polishing an emerald takes a lifetime, but I have this appreciation for other gems. Right now, this gem I’m trying to dig out is under music composition. However, I love philosophy. I remember when math and science intrigued me as well—and indeed they still do.
What direction?
Which gem do I dig out? Right now, it seems music should be my focus, yet composition doesnt seem to be sustainable as a job. Beyond monetary stability, what about my other passions in life? Should they fall by the wayside?
And then Shizuku asked Nishi-san a very important question. What happens if I dig and find nothing but a colored rock deep inside?
Oh the questions and analogies.
The answer can’t be merely conceptualized. It needs to be pursued. Just which direction?
