...the ELLIS BOYD 'RED' STYLE
If you've had a conversation with me about movies, the first thing you will know in seconds is that THE SHAWSHANK REDEMPTION is my number one movie of all time, yet. Although much justice was not done to the book, Rita Hayworth and the Shawshank Redemption by Stephen King (as with many other movies made from books). As interesting as the story of Andy Dufresne is, that of Ellis Boyd 'Red' Redding (played by yet another favorite actor of mine, Morgan Freeman) always strikes me. He was incarcerated at an early age and was rejected parole so many times, he almost lost count, to the extent that facing the panel became a routine as he already knew what the reply will be eventually so to 'fulfill all righteousness' he faced them each time but not until the time he really discovered that being 'rehabilitated' was just a word used by the panel to 'qualify or disqualify' felons for parole. I really love his reply to whether he feels he's been 'rehabilitated', he replied "Rehabilitated? Well, now let me see. You know, I don't have any idea what that means". Damn it, is Morgan Freeman not the best?. Anyway, 'Red' really became a 'freeman' when for the first time, he broke tradition and told the panel the realities of life in a prison and what it he learnt over the years.
Back to you and I, how many times have you faced 'the panel' and came out with 'rejected'? Maybe more times than 'Red' and it may now be a routine for you as it was for him. We all have a fair share of rejection in one form or another and we often beat ourselves for not being 'worthy' or 'qualified enough' to be accepted for who we truly are. The most fascinating part is the ripple effect of being rejected-resentment and self doubt. I bet you know what am talking about. I've seen folks resent things, ideas and even others simply because they have been rejected or feel rejected around the thing or person not necessarily because they don't like that thing or person and as the Hausa will put it "makaho ya rasa iddo, ya ce iddo na wari" (a man without eyesight will always say the eye stinks). Getting rejected has a way of affecting our psychic and daily living consciously and subconsciously. Even though sometimes it's for our own good (either we are actually not qualified or because God is protecting us from somethings). Like that time I went for an interview where I was to be an artiste's manager, I passed every test and was qualified but never got a mail or call till date, meanwhile I am yet to see the artiste I was to manage do anything in the industry, so I know it was for my good (that is after feeling bad about not getting in).
Just so you know, intimidation is in fact the ink pad on which the stamp gets wet. Which brings me to my point, we as individuals allow intimidation (socially, mentally, physically, spiritually and even financially) to place us in a prison cell we create for ourselves and it gives the panel we inaugurate in our mind the power to stamp 'REJECTED' on our lives. We go through a life of fear, loneliness and rejection just because we let others intimidate us, and most of the times, we are the ones intimidating ourselves (not ruling out those who deliberately want to intimidate or bully us though).
As it was in the movie, that moment Red broke down the prison wall and refused to be 'institutionalized', he set out for Zihuatanejo where real life awaits...if you take nothing from this, take this...YOU and ONLY YOU HOLD the STAMP of ACCEPTANCE or REJECTION in your HANDS, use your MIND to DECIDE which to USE.
...there is a place where reality is as it is in your dreams, break free and get there...see you in Zihuatanejo because "I could use a good friend to help me get my projects on the wheels"...
#STAYFOCUSED
#STAYFOCUSED
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