Greetings,
If there is one thing I've learned in life, it is that knowledge can be bought, but wisdom cannot. Trust, I know plenty of people who have spent a small fortune on a college education and could easily make it back on Jeopardy, but, at the same time, they do stupid things, make stupid decisions and pretty much make me wonder how they manage to figure out how to open a door. This is because knowledge and wisdom are far from being being the same. Sure, you can have both, but a lot of people only have one. Then there are the chosen few who have neither. Personally, I value wisdom much more than knowledge, because it's not something with which everyone has been blessed. It's almost as though you have to be chosen, and, even if you aren't "book smart", you still can be chosen. And I want to talk about one of those special people today. Albeit, a fictional person, but I will also have to address his creator, so it's okay.
I've seen this in plenty of stories and movies and real lives, where some rich kid who has access to the greatest minds in the world gets their best advice from the old guy who runs the bakery downtown. Or something to that effect. Often times, it is that random person who has seemingly done nothing in their life, except live it, who will teach you your greatest lessons. No one, real or imaginary, can define this type of person better than one, Mr. Rocky Balboa.
If you're anything like me, you've seen the movies in the Rocky series numerous times. But I wonder if anyone has ever watched, or more accurately, listened to these films the way that I have. Yes, these movies are pure entertainment, but there is something deeper that can come from them. Amazingly enough, a lot of the depth has come from this lead character, who, in his world, has clearly always been thought as a dumb, uneducated guy. Uneducated, maybe. I mean, we find out in Rocky 2 that he can't even read. But, dumb? Certainly not. Just because you don't have a thousand diplomas on your wall does not mean you don't have a thousand words of wisdom in your head. If you don't believe me, just examine some of the things he has said over the decades. They may not seem like much on their own, but string them together and you get some good life advice.
It all started in the first movie, where there was much talk about why he wanted to fight Apollo Creed. It wasn't necessarily just to win, but just to see if he could go further than anyone else had. He wanted to "go the distance", and he was okay
with whatever he had to do in order to succeed at that, to succeed at still standing in the end. Because winning can mean different things to different people. And when asked why he wants to fight at all, he says it's because he can't sing or dance. In short, he does it because it's what he was born to do. He may not have chosen it, but it chose him, and he used it as best he could. That's some good advice in a world where people are constantly trying to be someone they're not.
And these wise things would pop up in all the movies. While someone else may just say things to make a point, Rocky could say things that came off sounding eloquent, if only in his special kind of eloquence. Not to mention, fresh. I mean, it's hard to find new ways of convincing his wife that he can do it when she had doubts. Like in Rocky 4. Sure, she was scared that her husband was going to fight a guy who was basically a killer, but Rocky explained to her, yet again, that he is a fighter. And he has no choice but to fight. He says it in a way and with such conviction that anyone could be convinced. Of course, the wisest people know when to listen to and learn from others, and what he told her was a direct reflection of what his best friend, Apollo, said to him about their lives as fighters. If they don't have a fight, they don't have a point. It was extreme, but I understand, and even as a writer, that hit me deeply. If we refuse to use our gifts, why are we here? Clearly, that was why Rocky always had a drive for it. And, while speaking of Rocky 4, we can't forget his speech at the end. While some people have called what he said a bit . . . over the top, I never really thought so. This "uneducated" man from the streets of Philadelphia was bravely speaking from his heart in front of thousands of people who were so against him at first, so can we really criticize anyone for that? Especially since what he said was pretty much true.
Now, I could go through every little quote of every movie, but I'd like to give some time to my favorite words of inspiration from Rocky Balboa. Surprisingly, to some people, they actually come from Rocky Balboa, the final installment in the Rocky series.
I remember sitting in that dark theater, waiting, knowing that at some point something was going to blow me away. I wasn't wrong. There is a scene where Rocky is talking to his son, Robert, on the street right after Robert yells at him for wanting to fight again at his age. Rocky doesn't get mad or really even argue back. He just gently begins to talk to Robert. Eventually, he tells him that no one can define who you are. If you know you're meant for something great, then go out and get it. And don't blame anyone else if you don't fulfill your potential, because it's always your choice to do so. Life is hard at times for every person, but every person has to decide what to do with that difficulty. You can let it take you down, or you can turn it into something that can build you up. If you're willing to be strong, you can came back at life even harder and win.
As someone who, in the past, has often let other people's opinions of me break my spirit, this speech affected me in a big way. Sometimes you need someone to tell you what you already know. I don't let those people hurt me anymore. In fact, I welcome the attacks, because I want to be as strong as possible, and fighting them off helps to do that. They think they're damaging me, but all they are doing is helping me reach my dreams faster. Interesting thing, if you listen to the commentary on the DVD for this film, during the credits, where random people are running up those infamous stairs and triumphantly throwing their hands in the air, Sylvester Stallone, himself, continues to give us some more great words about following our dreams. But my favorite is when he says, "So I say to all of them, and everyone here, just keep punching. Just keep punching. You never know. You never know. You might just hit your dream right on the jaw"
Yes, that meant so much to me, I can barely express it. Granted, I did not know my dreams had a jaw, but if any of them do, I will certainly keep aiming for it. Things like that, which may seem sappy or cliche to the more cynical people in the world, can really make you think and maybe even change you for the better. Now I suppose this would be a good segue into my speaking a little about the man behind the man, Sylvester Stallone.
Much like the character he created, I think Sylvester Stallone has been quite underrated in some areas. Sure, he's appreciated as an action star, and that's fine because he is good at that. It's probably the first thing people think of when they think of him. Not me, though. When I think of Sylvester Stallone, the first thing that comes to mind is "great writer" Maybe that's because I am also a writer, and I like the fact that we have something in common. The thing is that Sylvester Stallone and Rocky Balboa have almost become interchangeable in the eyes of some people, so, since Rocky is often thought of as unintelligent, they may think the same thing about Mr. Stallone. But, news flash! The man is brilliant. You'd have to be to do what he's done in his life. Of course, he's had some moments of "oops!", but who hasn't? Besides, his moments of genius, if not outnumbering those others, certainly outweigh them.
Look, basically, when I speak of the wisdom of Rocky Balboa, I am, in turn, speaking of the wisdom of Sylvester Stallone. If you take the time to really listen to the things he has written and said, these priceless little gems, you will definitely learn from them. And while entertaining people is fine and even important, teaching them to be the best person they can be is invaluable. So, much thanks to you, Mr. Stallone, and the vessel you have used to give us these rich life lessons.
Love and full moons,
Becky the Writer
