How far are you...

... from your dream?

I watched a Japan anime 'Whisper of the Heart' by Yoshifumi Kondo for my film project. It covers a very realistic context, a bit ambiguous, probably because it deals with something very intangible.

It is about this girl who knows of a guy who repairs violins and is very good in playing it as well. The girl gradually admires him for his talents especially one day when he got a offer from a prestigious school of music. After he left to pursue his studies overseas, the girl felt very empty. Initially I was thinking what is it that made her feel this way, is it because of love? I felt something more, she feels very distant from him, physically and spiritually.

Seeing the achievements of the guy, she aspires to follow his footsteps. Aspiring to be a writer, she writes all day long, neglecting school and tests. She brought her draft to the guy's grandfather to review, and he tells her try again next time. She breaks down as she feels very demoralised, very lost. Calmly, the old man replied, 'To do something well, not only must you have interest in it, you must be prepared to put in lots of effort and not fear obstacles'. Though it's a very simple line, at that point of time, when you ponder deeper into the words, you can actually feel very empty. I suppose that's what the girl is feeling.

It sets me thinking about what I aspire to achieve and how far am I from it... Will I persist or will I fall behind?

origin of suffering = attachment