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Purposeful Soul
How many of you have watched Soul? It's an animated movie I found myself watching last night, and it really made me think. The story is about a man who teaches music for a living but dreams of playing piano at jazz gigs. However, he's held back by several obstacles, one major one being his mother's disapproval. She wants him to stick to his stable teaching job for the regular paycheck it offers. But then, a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity comes his way—a chance to perform with a famous musician.
Yet, on his way to this life-changing gig, he has an accident that isn't quite fatal but leaves him caught between life and death, in a place called the soul realm. There, he meets a young soul who finds the idea of living on Earth unappealing and dull. But through a twist of fate, both are sent back to Earth. The Pianist soul ends up in a cat, and the young soul finds itself in Pianist body.
On Earth, this young soul begins to embrace the simple delights—the serene dance of the clouds, the sweetness of a lollipop, the warmth of old friendships, the rhythm of the subway, the sheer act of walking on this wondrous planet. Faced with the prospect of life, this soul hesitates, lacking what many call a 'grand purpose' but finding profound contentment in these modest moments.
Simultaneously, our pianist, through feline eyes, realizes what his life lacked—the small wonders he overlooked in his prior human shuffle. The young soul, though never having lived before, feels the crushing weight of Earth's expectations, the societal blueprint of an ideal existence.
Doesn’t this resonate with our own experiences? We’re often told that we need to find a great purpose, excel at something, and make a big impact. But who tells us to just live, to enjoy the moment? We chase dreams shaped by societal expectations, not our own, and if we fail to meet them, we feel like failures.
The essence of our journey is profoundly straightforward: to be truly present wherever we find ourselves—to keep our senses and souls open, to live deeply and gratefully, recognizing that life itself is an ephemeral dream we are fortunate to dream. We will never traverse this path again. Thus, as Master Oogway (if you know this guy I love you) profoundly noted, today is indeed a gift—it is the present.
© Sarah✨️
Yet, on his way to this life-changing gig, he has an accident that isn't quite fatal but leaves him caught between life and death, in a place called the soul realm. There, he meets a young soul who finds the idea of living on Earth unappealing and dull. But through a twist of fate, both are sent back to Earth. The Pianist soul ends up in a cat, and the young soul finds itself in Pianist body.
On Earth, this young soul begins to embrace the simple delights—the serene dance of the clouds, the sweetness of a lollipop, the warmth of old friendships, the rhythm of the subway, the sheer act of walking on this wondrous planet. Faced with the prospect of life, this soul hesitates, lacking what many call a 'grand purpose' but finding profound contentment in these modest moments.
Simultaneously, our pianist, through feline eyes, realizes what his life lacked—the small wonders he overlooked in his prior human shuffle. The young soul, though never having lived before, feels the crushing weight of Earth's expectations, the societal blueprint of an ideal existence.
Doesn’t this resonate with our own experiences? We’re often told that we need to find a great purpose, excel at something, and make a big impact. But who tells us to just live, to enjoy the moment? We chase dreams shaped by societal expectations, not our own, and if we fail to meet them, we feel like failures.
The essence of our journey is profoundly straightforward: to be truly present wherever we find ourselves—to keep our senses and souls open, to live deeply and gratefully, recognizing that life itself is an ephemeral dream we are fortunate to dream. We will never traverse this path again. Thus, as Master Oogway (if you know this guy I love you) profoundly noted, today is indeed a gift—it is the present.
© Sarah✨️
