An Awesome 'Pi' Day

I remember tagging along with my mom to watch the movie, ‘Life of Pi’ way back in 2012, just a few days after it was released. Prior to watching it, we both had a vague idea of what it was about - a shipwreck with a teenage boy and a tiger as the star characters. I remember the theater room, thickly packed with people electrified by the theme, waiting in anguish for the movie to begin. I also remember the potato chips and popcorn we had afterward.

Giving a twist to my usual approach, I would like to probe into those questions that came to me as we waded through the wonderful scenes in the movie.

1. Even after losing everything humanly conceivable, would we still have the courage and charisma to pull on, to weather the storm once more, unto infinity?

After having lost his entire family to a battering storm, and being left with nothing but a tiger and a life raft to keep him sane, Pi clings to life. Adrift in the vast ocean, with scanty resources and occasional symbols of hope, he battles gripping desperation and sorrow. Seems highly unusual, doesn't it? Why? Hope can be a potent motivator especially when we are dueling with internal demons that can often seem overwhelming. It's natural to feel let down when circumstances don't turn in our favor. But then hope reminds us that there is a loftier place out there. It's just a matter of finding it.

2. Are we relentless in the pursuit of our goals? Once they are identified, do we have the zeal to push on through the usual teething troubles along the way?

Having fixed his goal of surviving his unfortunate mishap, Pi does everything possible to keep at it. He reads a survival guide, tames the tiger, makes a solar still, and even seizes the opportunity to stock supplies when he runs into a deserted island. Are we this fixated on our goals? Moreover, are we seizing even the minute opportunities that come our way to grant us our salvation?

3. Is it just us? Or is there something more powerful out there that conspires to work in our favor?

When the full gravity of his loss hits him hard, initially Pi breaks down, drenched in grief and purposelessness. He’s incapable of seeing a way out of it. But then, witnessing his inner goodness, nature strews symbols along the way as a life raft, a tiger to give him company and a sense of purpose, and a deserted island to feed himself. When all hope seemed lost, something invariable turned up to help him out. This could happen to us too, provided we are prepared for it.

And finally, as Pi says in the movie, “It's important in life to conclude things properly. Only then can you let go. Otherwise, you are left with words you should have said but never did, and your heart is heavy with remorse.”

Have a good day!