Thursday, April 8, 2021

Movies reflect human needs: Gratitude

Blogging from A to Z Challenge

ThemeMovies reflect human needs...

Gratitude


Image from storyblocks.com
 
Gratitude is not only the greatest of virtues, but the parent of all the others. (Marcus Tullius Cicero)

At the age of 18, I made up my mind to never have another bad day in my life. I dove into an endless sea of gratitude from which I've never emerged. (Patch Adams)
When I think of being grateful in all circumstances, I immediately think of Pollyanna (1960) and her "glad game" -- finding something to be glad about in every situation. Pollyanna is not naive (as some mistakenly believe), she is fully aware of life's difficulties and chooses to find something to be glad about anyway. (Ah, another example of using Agency.)

Last year during the April A to Z Challenge, I experienced severe, crushing, leg pain for nearly three weeks. I was not grateful for the suffering at that time, but by the end the year I cried tears of gratitude for that very pain. 

You see, because the pain was so severe and because it lasted so long and because specialists couldn't tell me what was wrong, I became very desperate to solve the mystery, and wondered if maybe, just maybe, the fibroid cyst in my uterus had grown and was pressing on a nerve or something. 

So I made an appointment with a gynecologist to have it checked. Due to the pandemic, I couldn't get in until July. The pain was long gone by then, but I kept the appointment anyway.

Well... checking on the fibroid led to an ultrasound in August and the discovery that the cyst had not grown... but the lining in my uterus was too thick. So, that led to a D and C (removing the tissue) in September, which led to a radical hysterectomy in November, and the discovery that I had endometrial (uterine) cancer. 

Typically, there are symptoms that indicate that type of cancer, but I didn't have any of them. If it hadn't been for the leg pain causing me to wonder about the fibroid cyst, there would have been no reason to do an ultrasound of my uterus. The doctor thinks the cancer probably would have spread to other organs before symptoms alerted me.

I still don't know what caused the leg pain, but it turned out to be a blessing in disguise, and I'm grateful for it.

Some movies with characters who learn appreciation:

  • Cantankerous Melvin (Jack Nicholson) expresses appreciation for Carol (Helen Hunt), "I might be the only one who appreciates how amazing you are in every single thing that you do, and how you are with Spencer, "Spence," and in every single thought that you have, and how you say what you mean, and how you almost always mean something that's all about being straight and good. I think most people miss that about you, and I watch them, wondering how they can watch you bring their food and clear their tables and never get that they just met the greatest woman alive."
Big Fish (2003)
  • A son learns to appreciate his father and his stories.
  • Although Brad Cohen (James Wolk) would welcome a cure for Tourette's Syndrome, he is grateful for the things he's learned through the struggle and refers to it as his greatest teacher. (Based on a true story.)
Inside Out (2015)
  • Joy (Amy Poehler, voice) learns to appreciate Sadness (Phyllis Smith, voice) because times of unhappiness can bring about times of tenderness and caring.
  • Scrooge learns to appreciate Christmas, his employees, and family. (Of course, this applies to all versions of The Christmas Carol, but the Muppet version is my favorite.)

What movies comes to your mind regarding gratitude? Is there someone or something in your life that you didn't appreciate initially, but now you do?


(Note: The movies listed might not be completely family-friendly. See my "Movie Content" information on the blog's sidebar.)

19 comments:

  1. Oh Trudy, I'm sorry, and happy that you found in time the cancer. I well remember your pian last year, and I hope it will not come back. I find gratitude and positive psychology being much more important since last year, as the virus made us so close to the death, all of us. Enjoy life, enjoy the moment.
    Hugs

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    1. Thank you, Frédérique! I appreciate your kind words and comments. There's so much to be grateful for, and I think the pandemic helped many of us remember that.

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  2. I'll just be grateful to get back to a cinema to watch a movie any time this year!
    https://iainkellywriting.com/2021/04/08/the-state-trilogy-a-z-guide-g/

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    1. A friend of mine who lives in England indicated that cinemas might open soon. Does that go for Scotland, too? I hope so. Ours just barely opened recently in our community (in Arizona, USA).

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  3. I'm so glad that your cancer was caught early and wish you well going forward.
    For gratitude I'm going to say the Blind Side again, Finding Nemo, and Up.

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    1. Thank you for you well-wishes.

      Those movies are wonderful for gratitude. Thanks for adding them!

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  4. I am so happy to hear that you caught the uterine cancer in time. A similar thing happened to a friend when she was diagnosed with breast cancer. It was an unrelated issue that caused her to find the lump.

    Gratitude is a powerful thing. I keep a gratitude diary and try to write in it weekly. I picked up the habit when I took the The Science of Well-Being offered by Yale University free through Coursera. It was so interesting.

    Weekends In Maine

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    1. Ooo... that does sound like an interesting course! I keep a gratitude diary on my nightstand and try to write in it every night before going to bed. Falling to sleep with thoughts of gratitude is quite relaxing.

      That's interesting about your friend and an unrelated issue helping her find a lump. I hope it was early detection for her, too!

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  5. Things do often happen for a reason. So glad you found it in time! And I love Inside Out. Such a great movie.

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    1. I was surprised by how much I liked Inside Out. Such a fun, and thought-provoking, movie. Thank you for stopping by and leaving a comment!

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  6. Glad that you were on top of it to check into your symptoms! I believe we have to be proactive when it comes to our health sometimes. Muppet Christmas Carol is my all time fave Christmas movie!

    Janet’s Smiles

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    1. I love the Muppets! Now I want to see that movie again.

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  7. So grateful that you caught the cancer on time. Having had enough family members who have had cancer, I have certainly learned not to ignore symptoms among the others.
    Love the movies on your list; the only one I have not watched is Front of the Class, and seeing them alongside the others tempts me to do so

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    1. I hadn't heard of "Front of the Class" until a month or so ago. I really enjoyed it, and it fits several topics I'm using for this challenge.

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  8. Thanks for sharing about your challenges last year with your health. I too am grateful for your recovery! As for gratitude in the movies, there is "A Good Year." I think the character Max at first feels that inheriting the vineyard is just an inconvenience, one he can make some money off of, and then finds it brings to him all that was missing in his life, and he has much he is grateful for.

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    1. I haven't seen that film and it sounds good! I will keep a watch for it.

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  9. Trudy,

    WOW, I'm so glad you kept that appointment! I had a long history with ovarian cysts which resulted in a couple of surgeries to remove the cysts and finally in 2001 a hysterectomy. Thankfully the cysts were all benign. I still have one ovary left and sometimes I wonder if this could be the culprit behind the tingling/numbing in my right leg. Yes, it's my right ovary BUT my physician found years ago an old fracture in my lower back plus my spine in the lower region is tender so hopefully I'll get some answers soon. I'm trying to get an appointment upon my doctor's recommendation and referral to a specialist. As for movies that make me think of gratitude my brain is in a bit of fog so none come to mind, other than the old classic Christmas Carol film or how about Home Alone? Kevin learns in the end that even though his family is a pain that he missed them and he wanted them back.

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    1. The tingling/numbing in your leg sounds worrisome. I hope you're able to get answers soon.

      Christmas Carol and Home Alone... both wonderful examples of learning gratitude. Thanks!

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