‘127 Hours’ – a zest for life

‘127 Hours’ – a zest for life

What is ‘127 hours’? Well, I loved the movie that bears this name and I think you will too, if you see it in the light in which I saw it.The movie is a brilliant source of inspiration for anyone who struggles in life. The movie leaves with you a feeling of a zest for life. It sends a strong message of standing courageously in times of trials.

The movie is a true story based on the life of Aron Ralston, a canyoneer and mountain climber. A young Aron goes for a mountain trek. During his trekking, he slips and falls due to a loose rock in between a crevice. The rock plunges along with Aron into the crevice and his hand is smashed between the mountain and the rock. Aron’s agony begins here as he realises that he is unable to free his hand and that he is stuck in the crevice.

Aron tries every antic to save himself, but the huge rock does not move. His hand is badly smashed and no matter what he does his hand does not come out. Aron realises that he is low on both food and water. He then recalls the various incidents of his past. His tryst with life makes him realise the blunder in not having informed anyone before he left for trekking. He repents for not having responded to his Mother’s phone call.

The story basically reveals how a struggle in life leads Aron to learn new lessons; Lessons on the importance of relationships, lessons to inform people about his whereabouts, lessons in valuing people who loved him, etc. The movie also reveals the courage of an individual to survive in all odds. The final scene has Aron chopping his own hand so that he can free himself from the stone and survive. The scene is gruesome and cringing.

The movie is filled with beautiful messages. A very striking element of the movie is at the very beginning Aron is shown getting ready for the trekking wherein he just leaves his bottle under the tap to fill. The water overflows. The same Aron who wastes water is compelled to count the drops he is drinking and worse still is forced to save his urine as his water source to survive in the crevice. Aron’s trauma lasts for almost five and a half days. You must be wondering why Aron chopped his hand, “NO, it was not for suicide!” His hand was stuck in the crevice. He wanted to LIVE, he wanted to regret for his procrastination of things and relationships. He wanted to begin afresh.

Life is beautiful. But it has its own share of pain and sorrows. And we end up thinking, this pain is so much, I can never move ahead in life. The pains and sufferings that cripple us like the stone that crippled Aron could vary. For a little child, it may be a troubled childhood; For a youth, the pain may be a broken relationship, or a betrayed friendship or the tensions of an exam; for an adult, the pain could be from a tragic marriage life, death of a loved partner or even a long-term sickness; for a senior citizen it could be loneliness! Indeed, like Aron, we are hurt, or we have to go through pain and give up some things in life, but life becomes more beautiful and more meaningful after facing life’s tests.

There are many things in life that pull us down and make us stuck in a crevice. We can choose to stay there or walk ahead. Aron chose to walk ahead! It is when we suffer pain and face it with courage, that we are able to understand the pain that others undergo. It is when we suffer loneliness, that we understand the meaning of love and friendship and we can make an effort to be a comfort to someone.  

The canyon is a nature's glory. The shimmer of the dusky, brown mountains with its crevices, ruggedness, sharpness and magnificent splendour makes it a dream visit. However, it holds unknown and unforeseen dangers. Life is just like it. Ups and downs, joys and pains, glories and failures form an intricate tapestry that makes life zest filled. It is up to each one of us to take up a challenge or allow ourselves to play the victim cards.

My pain helped me to understand the pain and sorrow of others. It is because I suffered, that I understand when my friends shared about their suffering. And they love me because, they know that just like me, they too will overcome pain. It was when I failed in my first test in college that I said to myself, I will not give up. I was crying but I did not allow my pain to become my handicap.

A parent with a child who died in young age identifies with another parent who is going through the same trauma. An adult who undergoes loneliness could nourish friendships and the habit of visiting other senior citizens who face the same trauma. I do not say, that all our pain will go. No! that will be exaggeration. But at least, the fact that I have brought a smile on someone else’s face will make the other happy. That will also bring peace and joy to us. Isn’t that becoming God- like to others? We will live far more meaningful lives, in this way than to be stuck within the walls of our house with a pain that is hurting and blocking us.

Let me continue this true story of Aron! Well, Aron continues to be a canyoneer in his real life today. He does not have one palm but he still treks, swims and leads a happy life full of zest. He married the same friend whom he had betrayed and whose feelings he had hurt when he was enjoying life before this tragedy. His pain helped him to see the beauty and value of every human being. His pain became a mirror for him to change his arrogant, ‘Don’t care’ attitude! Life is beautiful, the challenge is, ‘Do I stand still and allow pain to stagnate me or do I take the challenge and walk ahead with courage?’

Happy living!