Thursday 7 August 2008

Cinderella Man!!!

I watched Cinderella Man Yesterday...
The movie is a real story of a Heavy Weight Champion in the 1930’s- James Braddock...

In the middle of the Great Depression, when America in the grips of a devastating economic downturn was nearly brought to its knees, there emerged a most unlikely hero who had crowds cheering on their feet-as he proved just how hard a man would fight to win a second chance for his family and himself.

That common-man hero was James J. Braddock-a.k.a. the "Cinderella Man"-who was to become one of the most surprising and inspirational sports legends in history. By the early 1930s, the impoverished ex-prizefighter was seemingly as broken-down, beaten-up and out-of-luck as much of the rest of the American populace. Like so many others, Braddock had hit rock bottom. His career appeared to be finished, he was unable to pay the bills, the only thing that really mattered to him-his family-was in danger, and he was even forced to go on Public Relief. But deep inside, Jim Braddock never relinquished his determination. Driven by love, honor and an incredible dose of grit, he willed an impossible dream to come true.

In a last-chance bid to help his family, Braddock returned to the ring. No one thought he had a shot. In bout after bout, the talk was that poor Jim Braddock was criminally out-matched and perilously in over his head. Except that Braddock, fueled by something beyond mere competition, kept winning. Suddenly, the ordinary working man who couldn't get a job became the mythic athlete who could not lose. Carrying the hopes and dreams of the disenfranchised on his shoulders, Braddock rocketed through the ranks, until this underdog who defied all the odds chose to do the unthinkable: take on the heavyweight champ of the world, the unstoppable Max Baer, renowned for having killed two men in the ring.

He WON it..Not because of anything else..but the power that out powered everything for those few moments..
The love for his family..
His three kids who he looked into the eye and promised that no matter what..he would never send them away..
His wife..Mae..who prayed every moment for the life of the man she so deeply loved..who supported him through each stride of his..without a complaint
For the sheer determination to bring his family out from the dumps..the determination to not fail them anymore..

it is wonderful to know just how remarkable human endurance and the power of love can be. It is so difficult to imagine what it's like to cope in the moment, facing life's daily hardships, and to continue to passionately strive toward a goal-even a simple one like putting food on the table-no matter what the outcome turns out to be.

I feel so petty at times..so petty for complaining about the hardships of life..the sadness I go through..the so called things I do not have..
I feel petty for being such an ordinary human being..
For we are always in need for something we don’t have..We want to raise up from the current levels we are on .We envy the more successful people..who have a little more of it than us..who got bigger cars..bigger houses..
But we don’t think what its like for those people who don’t know if they are eating their next meal or not..
For people who do not have the bare minimum..to cover themselves from the heat or the cold..

And then I am reminded of what mamma tells me everytime I complain about the difficulties of my life..
“We must thank God each day..for he is letting us survive the test of the time..he has given us enough food..enough money..and a shelter to house ourselves in..he has given us enough that we can sustain this life..without a shrink on our face..think about the people who died of poverty..malnutrition..bomb blasts…terrorist attacks..of the kids,.who were left stranded..infants..who did not know what the world is all about and slept forever before they could open their eyes.”

And today is one of those days..when I want to thank that Cinderella Man..who is looking over me..taking care of me..of my family..somewhere up there..
He does test me at times.but that’s just his way of showing me..that there is always more to life than the happiness..and I should be ready for it.
To tell me that I am blessed..and he loves me..
And today I want to tell him..that I love him..for taking care of me..and the people I Love..for giving me people to love..family to think about..food to eat..and shelter to cover my head..without having to beg for it..
Money to survive..and more than enough to support another life…
An education..to be independent..
Parents-who have given me more than everything I ever wanted(and that why im so spoilt)
Friends-who have been there with me through my bad times..
And lessons to remember..mistakes (some huge ones)..from which I learnt a lot about things I never could have..unless I had committed them..

To make me realize..that everytime I was doing something wrong. I had people..who wanted to protect me..if only I had listened to them and not drifted ways..
But im still grateful..that those people are still by side.…even though they have seen all the good..bad and ugly sides of me

Things that he took back from me were probably never mine..and that’s why I have no right to question him..and thus I will not..

Life is much bigger and broader than what we can think of..We should be thankful that our corner is green

5 comments:

Nidhi said...

Love conquers the world.. there aint no force stronger than love, n for thy family love knows no bounds :)

Determinatin, hunger to win and courage to fight all comes cuz of love... :)

its a force dat can keep d dead alive...

i ll surely watch d movie soon :)

n for sure will try not to complain much :)

Unknown said...

I found that movie so boring...that switched the channel after 15 minutes...this time will try and watch it..

akashthematrix said...

The movie features in my all time favorites too...
James J Braddock...a true motivator...
@Guppi: U can't judge an hollywood movie in 15 minutes...

santasizing...Fantasizing said...

truly inspiring movie...and its truly amazing to see the guts of that man...hes truly the cindrella man

Mohammed Musthafa said...

hey,
firstly...the beginning write up is ur own right? or is it an extract frm a review....i guess wht u wrote was gud enuf to get me interested to see the movie!

and yes...loved the message u gave...btw, have u seen "The Beautiful Mind"? Ron Howard's movie...even that is amazing!

p.s.: do check my blog and lemme knw your opinion...