Holding on to hope

I have watched the movie the Shawshank Redemption  for numerous times when I feel confused or thrilled. I love this movie for it unfolds the power of hope before me, which endows me with strength to face the ups and downs in my life.

The most impressive episode in this movie, I think, took place when the movie was coming to an end.The rain was pouring that day and Andy, the leading actor,had prepared everything for the escape. He squashed himself into the small hole that he had dug for 19 years. He crawled along the tube and arrived at the discharge pipe where he broke the pipe under the shelter of thunder. He crawled for 500 yards,the length of five football fields,half a mile.

When he finally got out of the prison and came to the world of freedom, he stretched his arms and embraced the long-waited freedom.

This episode always reemerges in my mind. I have wondered for more than one time that what it is that propels Andy to pursue for freedom so firmly instead of getting institutionalized. Finally it comes to me that it is his hope for freedom that makes him free. He was told by Red that hope was a dangerous thing and that hope could drive a man insane. But he stuck to the belief that hope is a good thing, maybe the best of things and no good thing ever dies.

It seems to be the same in our daily life actually. If we compare the routine of life as a prison.First we hate them, then we get used to them. Given enough time,we finally depend on them. That’s institutionalization.Without doubt it is a tragedy but worse still, that’swhat most of us do. I remind myself everyday of having hope for tomorrow because I don’t want to be set in prison by myself.