Every now and again a movie comes around that moves you to get a deeper insight into life, insight into your being, insight into your soul Well Disney’s movie, “Soul” does just that. After I was close to a suicide bomb on August 19, 2001 which killed 18 people, I felt I was spared from death and Save One Person was born. I felt I had to justify my life. If G-d gave me life after that experience I had to prove my worth, justify my existence and that’s what’s motivated me to do the work I do today. Although I find my work with www.SaveOnePerson.org deeply gratifying from the difference it makes in some people’s lives by matching people in need of a living organ donor with a donee, to the creative aspect, to the freedom of pursuing interests that can educate about prevention. The movie “Soul” opens me up to see an even deeper meaning in life. I remember, when I was in Israel several years and I was sharing why it was so important to justify my life, with trying to save lives of others, doing meaningful life, Donna, a dear friend and participant of the trip to Israel, said something that stays with me to this day. G-d loves you the way you, without doing anything, just because. Meaning I don’t have to do anything to win his approval, meaning just me is enough. Really? Hmmm. I thought about it for a while and it took some of the anxiety away about having to accomplish what I perceived as my mission in life. I thought about that conversation in the Gailee often, overlooking the hills of the Jordan. Hmmm, food for thought. Now, comes Disney’s movie the “Soul”. The movie is about a Jazz musician / teacher who comes close to death, who goes on a journey with a “lost” soul. They begin an adventure trying to find 22’s soul purpose. However, what they discover in the course of this animated film is that the meaning of life is not in the big things, not in the things that make one shine in life. The purpose and meaning of life, are the things we deeply enjoy to take time to notice and be in the moment with these things. The meaning and purpose of life can be found in the moments we take for granted, whether it be taking a walk or eating a piece of food you enjoy or having the sun shine on your face or having your feet in the ocean and being in peace at the moment. Your life’s work, where you shine is just an extension of being fully alive. It’s not about where you are going but what you appreciate in the moment. And these collective moments are what make life, life. Isn’t saving a life, sometimes smelling the roses? According to this movie, and I’m in agreement, it’s just that. Stop and smell the roses to save your own life and be truly alive.
