The Acts that Define Us

When I was a kid, I used to see a lot of movies, most of them were really dark and had a lot of imperfect characters but more than anything they taught me some amazing lessons about life and having a different outlook on it. It taught me how to steer away from the crowd and form my own opinionated mindset. I was always drawn towards ‘Batman’ not because he had the luxuries and gadgets that would make even the biggest heroes look inconsequential but because he represented something greater than just a vigilante. He represented a symbol of hope that the people looked up to when things were getting tough for them but more importantly, he was filled with flaws and misery but chose to rise above them all to make this world a better place. the Christopher Nolan ‘Dark Knight’ trilogy spoke to me in particular as it was filled with a vast compendium of life lessons that highlighted how people rise and crumble under a catastrophe.

‘It’s not who you are underneath but what you do that defines you.’

As a young child, I understood and accepted this on a very superficial level but as I have grown older the great depths of this dialogue have finally started to sink in. As a kid, I’ve always believed that human beings genuinely want to do the right thing and help those who are close to them, maybe on some level that is even true but most of the time there is a big difference between what you want to do and what you actually do. This bridge between reality and fantasy determines who we are and the kind of impact that we have on this universe. We do not necessarily remember what someone told us but we remember how they made us feel, their actions determine how safe and loved we feel in their presence so while thinking good thoughts and having a moral outlook on life is necessary ‘Batman’ taught me that it was equally necessary to good deeds rather than just think about them. This line taught me that sacrificing something takes a lot from you emotionally and mentally but they are the things that will eventually define you.

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