Friday, January 23, 2009

Book of Possibilities

Last weekend, I watched the movie Last Holiday on the TNT network. The movie featured rappers Queen Latifah and LL cool J. The story was simple. Queen Latifah plays Georgia Bird, a homely sales clerk in the cooking section of a department store. LL is the object of her desire. Georgia is a great cook who longs to travel and get married. But her dreams stay locked away in her “Book of Possibilities.”

When a doctor informs Georgia that she only has a few weeks to live, she decides to open up her book of possibilities and make them realities. She quits her job, liquidates her IRA and checks into a $4,000 a night hotel. There she eats at the best restaurants, buys the best clothes and gets daily spa services. She goes bungee jumping and has the opportunity to cook with her favorite chef.

One of the hotel workers note: Georgia has an appetite for life. She says wants she wants, does what she wants. She lives on the edge.

Though the story is poorly written, badly acted and extremely predictable, the underlying theme is clear: live each day as if it was your Last.

If you could be anything you wanted, what you would be? If you could go anywhere you wanted, where would you go? If you could meet anyone you wanted, who would you meet?
Do you have the AUDACITY to pursue your dreams? What’s keeping you from becoming the person you want to be? Low self-esteem? Lack of confidence? Money? Fear?

What if this was your Last Holiday? Where is your book of possibilities? What are you waiting for? Open it up.

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

i saw this movie on a flight somewhere when it was first released. you're right about it being predictable. but equally right about the whole concept of living each day to the fullest. it's why my motto is: life is uncertain; eat dessert first. and i've made sure my little brothers buy into that motto, too.

Melissa Jackson said...

I am planning to use this movie and theme to do a scrapbook with my English as Second Language Students! I hope it motivates and encourages them. Just from reading your synopsis (haven't seen the movie yet) I've been motivated. I've put my dreams of being a writer/filmmaker on hold to take care of everyone else. I don't want to have any regrets.