The story that stuck out to me the most was Nick Chirls. I think the reason this story was so impactful is because he was only in high school when he lost his mother. It would obviously be tragic to lose a parent at any age but I can't possibly imagine losing my mom when I'm a young teenager still trying to figure out my own life and the world around me. One of the things I found amazing from the documentary was when Nick was giving his mother's eulogy and the sparrow landed on his head. Nick said, "There's nothing that can explain that moment. There's no doubt in my mind that my mom was there." That to me is amazing. Whether it is a coincidence or not, it sure is hard to explain.
I thought the time-lapse effect of this film was a great idea because it showed growth and progress. I my mind, that's the whole reason the film was made. To show growth among the people who faced the tragedy of 9/11 first hand. It gives an inside perspective to the more personal stories of what these people had to deal with while the Americans who didn't have as much of a personal connection to the events were probably able to "move on" more quickly.
The most important lesson I took away from these stories would be optimism. I think optimism is an underrated characteristic that can be overlooked. Being optimistic is probably one of the hardest things for a person to do but if you can manage it, you'll be a lot happier. Ling Young had to go through countless surgeries and reconstructions for years and years but she almost always stayed positive because she knew things would get better eventually. That's inspiring. It makes us appreciate all the little things we complain about and take for granted.
I think it is great that you pulled optimism from the film. It is not really what I would have expected from such a sad film, but you are correct. Nick and Ling especially, were very optimistic about what their lives would hold for them in the years following the attacks. They wanted to move forward from the tragedy live a happy life. Their suffering was just a minor setback in the great lives in store for them.
ReplyDeleteI also thought Nicks story was very inspiring. I like your outlook on the time-lapse and how it kind of gives you an inside perspective so you can feel like youve known the people for years. I agree that being optimistic is hard and i really think each of the characters were very optimistic and didnt just give up on life due to their loss.
ReplyDeleteI never thought of optimism as being an outcome of the documentary. I think you are right though. You could really see it in Ling. Although at times she struggled she was optimistic majority of the time. It's great that we can remember not to take things for granted after seeing how our lives could be but luckily are not.
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