O' Captain, My Captain

A few weeks ago, the actor Robin Williams passed away from suicide. In his honor, a local theater-bar called Brewvies put on a special deal for a weekend where each night they would show a different Robin Williams film for free. The first film they showed was the Dead Poet's Society. It is an amazing film with a variety of messages. But as a tribute, it was a great film to embody Robin William's performance and impact as an actor on generations of people.

"Medicine, law, business, engineering: these are noble pursuits and necessary to sustain life. But poetry, beauty, romance, love... these are what we stay alive for." - Mr. Keating, Dead Poet's Society

The character Mr. Keating is an English teacher at an elite private school for young boys. He himself went to the school when he was young. And his teaching styles are very different from the rest of the professors at the school. The school was founded on the four pillars of wisdom: "Tradition, honor, discipline, and excellence." Instead of teaching the students the equations and philosophies of the great theologians, Mr. Keating teaches these boys to think for themselves. If you want to learn, learn for yourself about yourself.

The first lesson he taught the boys was about carpe diem. Every person is born and every person will die. "Seize the day boys," he said. He taught the boys that every day may be our last so we have to find the strength to overcome our fears and do those things that drive us. One of the ways we do that is by looking at things from a different perspective. It is through resisting conformity that you begin to find what makes you unique. It is how we understand what drives us as individuals. It is where we find our callings and meanings in life. It is how we leave a legacy behind us.

When we live our lives we can do so in many ways. We can be as expected. We can do our best. And we can sacrifice our all in pursuit of our passions. The gate through which we must pass is one of our own making. In order to live up to our fullest potential we have to conquer our fears. In the film, each of the boys has a fear that they must face and some are able to overcome and some are unable to do so. It is the same with each of us. Sometimes we have to take the road less traveled by so that we may have the chance to change our stars. When you write your story through the steps you take, I hope you find your own way.

"To quote from Whitman, 'O me! O life! Of the questions these recurring; of the endless trains of the faithless... Of cities filled with the foolish; what good amid these, O me, O life?' Answer. That you are here - that life exists, and identity; that the powerful play goes on and you may contribute a verse. That the powerful play goes on and you may contribute a verse. What will your verse be?" - Mr. Keating, Dead Poet's Society