As I said, Tom was a pretty famous director, and as rich and successful as he was, he still felt his life was not complete. Something important was missing, and that thing made him feel depressed and unhappy most of the time. Well, as it turns out Tom had an accident that almost killed him, and that accident made him see his life from a different perspective. His journey turned into 'I Am'.
I've done a lot of research on Tom and his story and I've walked away a changed person. Two things stand out to me, two things that make me think a little differently about life these days. The first is very simple, Do something you love, or everyday you will die just a little bit. Wow! Think about that. And then think about doing something you don't love every day of your life. Think about what that can do to you.
Now, I'll use a story from my life to put this into perspective for you. I love my son. I love him more than anything in the world and I'd do anything for him so that he grows up healthy and happy and whole. So, for years, I worked and traveled and did something I did not love, or even like, to do - BUT - I did it for Nathan and he benefited in ways that helped him get the goal I had for him. At a certain point though, it stopped being about making him healthy and happy, and it turned into buying him things so he could have that big huge party just like the kid down the street did the year before. That's when I started to get unhappy in my life. That's when I started to see something wrong with everything. I remembered about that same time I needed to travel to Virgin Gorda for a client and I had to stay at one of the best resorts on the planet. I went to a place people dream about, but all I could do was find something wrong with it.
That's about the time I started making changes in my life. Do you see?
Giving up the company I built was easy for me. Leaving Chicago wasn't difficult either since I went to someplace I love to be every day of my life (regardless of all the snow). I gave it all up to do something I loved. Hmm, interesting. But I didn't know that's what I did until other things started falling into place. So, I got it. I understand. Anyway, that's just a little correlation for you to see Tom's concept a bit more clearly.
So I have a question for you. What do you love to do? Are you doing it? If not, what happens when you think about it and then you know you are not doing it? Do you feel a tug of longing in the pit of your stomach that seems to tear at your soul? Do you have to stop thinking about that thing you long to do because it hurts too much and deep down inside you know it's wrong that you're not doing it. Why aren't you doing it? What's stopping you? Are you afraid others will laugh? Are you afraid you will fail? Well, here's a thought - life is short. Tomorrow your world could change. You could wake up and realize that everything is different, that some one you love is gone and you'll never see them again. Or, you could find that suddenly, you are incapable of doing the one thing you always wanted to do, the thing you could have done yesterday. If only ...
Can you imagine living with those regrets? I can't.
So, I'll tell you what I did, I started doing the one thing I've always wanted to do. The big dream. In April of 2009 I started writing my first novel and I'm proud to say I've completed it. Now, I'm finishing my second. I've got about seven other story plots sitting in a file on my computer ... this should keep me going for a couple of years. Am I published? Nope. Do I want to be? Hell, yes. Am I doing this just because I want to be published? No, I'm doing it because it's something I love. I cannot stop writing.
What's your story?
Oh yeah, remember I told you there was a second part of Tom's perspective that I'm intrigued with? Another of his theories that makes me think differently - (and by the way - Tom has many insightful issue, these are just the two that I've gravitated towards - this all might change after I see the movie) - IS that everything in our universe is connected. We all ARE. See? I Am, but we all are. Doesn't make sense yet? Okay, think about this - how can I live my life here without being concerned about what is happening to the children in Africa? Or the polar ice caps? Or the polar bears who are quickly becoming extinct? Or to the little boy in town who doesn't seem to have warm enough clothes?
What happens to them, affects me.
If you get the chance, go see 'I Am'. I'd love to hear your thoughts and comments. I'd love to know if your life changed - even just a little bit.
Thanks for listening to my thoughts.
Andrea
Some links to help you along:
http://iamthedoc.com/toms-profile/
http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0001723/
http://www.oprah.com/oprahshow/Tom-Shadyac-From-Millionaire-to-Mobile-Home
If you're interested in following my blog, I'd be honored. I'll continue to keep you updated on my journey to becoming a published author - sometimes I'll even share teasers of my novels. I'll continue to write about interesting things I love to share!
