"When you think it's the hardest, it's actually when you're closest to success."
People who have seen the movie "When Happiness Knocks" may still remember this classic line.
It's a bold film that goes straight to the problems of modern society; at the same time, it's soft, telling the helplessness and happiness of a low-level character.
The protagonist, Chris Gardner, is a salesman with only a high school education who goes on a rampage through the financial streets to escape poverty and eventually becomes a good stockbroker.
He was like an innocent person, in the cracks of survival, he bent on perfection and could not return, and burst out of the powerful ambition and hard work in his body.
When we focus on the panic, exhaustion and helplessness in the lens, there is always a moment when we experience the common sadness and joy of everyone in the movie.
We were touched by the portrayal of these crowds and also tried to explore "how to be the chosen one".
But in the end, it is understood that whether happiness comes or not, people cannot give up on themselves.
Life is difficult, and people who do not give up their dreams have a ferry
In 1981, the streets of San Francisco, in the bustling crowd, there were elites in suits and shoes, there were also drunken beggars lying on street corners, and chris, who was middle-aged, was just one of the inconspicuous members.
When the macro of the lens is pulled in, we have a "holographic perception" of Chris's life.
He was steadily labeled as mournful, poor, unlucky, and many other misfortunes, and his life was full of negativity, contempt, and ridicule.
A year ago, he and his wife invested in an expensive bone densitometer, but the product was regarded by the hospital as a "useless luxury."
The slow sale of the instrument put Chris's life in a dilemma, he deferred taxes, delayed rent, and reduced food and clothing.
Wife Linda desperately worked two jobs, and her son Xiaoke had to go to a cheap nursery.
By chance, Chris met an old friend who drove a sports car on financial street, and the richness and optimism of the other party inspired him, and he had a new dream - to become a stockbroker.
Although his wife was not optimistic about this, he still said to her: "We will survive and everything will be fine." ”
But this sentence had no effect in a life of stretching, and on a rainy night, the wife left him with her son.
When Chris returned to his deserted home, there was a roar from the landlord next door who bombarded him out of the house.
He sat alone in the shadows, and the background of the era when the US economy was depressed and unemployment was rising was heard on television.
Lu Yu once said in "Chance Encounter": "No matter who it is, we have experienced or are experiencing the darkest moments of life, which is a long, dark, cold, desperate tunnel. ”
Chris's dilemma resonates because he focuses on the "darkest moments" of many people - living in poverty, career downturn, marriage crisis, and he questions people instead of people: "I work so hard, what do I have to do to live a good life?" ”
The answer Chris gave was to chase his dreams forward, and he was trying alone and crazy under the pressure of the airtight wind.
In order to switch to the financial industry, he used his spare time to make up for his expertise; in order to support his ideals, he was more active in selling bone density meters.
Whenever he was rejected or treated coldly, Chris would smile and say "thank you" and reverently make the next temptation.
Countless failures and backfires could not hinder Chris's progress, he told himself:
"If you have a dream, guard it."
Although happiness has not yet knocked on the door, Chris has never let himself be left in a desperate situation, he can always find the next ferry and paddle to the other shore.
As Albert Einstein said, "Everyone has a certain ideal, and this ideal determines the direction of his efforts and judgments." ”
No matter how hard life is, only those who have dreams can find an exit, and will not be surrounded by difficulties on all sides and whirling around in the same place.
No matter how far happiness is, only those who do not give up their love have strength
"When Happiness Knocks" is not a simple inspirational film, but also shines in Chris's warm and deep love for his son.
Because of this love, his dreams are clearer and his steps are firmer.
Chris grew up in an environment where his father's love was lacking, so when his son was born, he vowed to be with him forever.
He sends his son to school every day and pays attention to the details of kindergarten education;
Even if he could only afford a basketball, he would still ask his son for his birthday wishes;
More often, he would talk to his son about his childhood and the few happy times in his life.
In the eyes of his son, Chris is a good father nicknamed "Smart Big Head".
Life is hard, as soon as he sees his son, Chris's heart will always be warm, full of energy to break into the world that is not friendly to him.
So, the moment his wife took his son, Chris almost broke down.
He pleaded bitterly and tried his best to get his son back, and then his wife went to New York.
Life has been integrated from the happiness of a family of three to the dependence of father and son.
Life got tougher, and Chris had to lead his son to visit customers, sell instruments, and wander the subway that roared through San Francisco.
But as long as his son's little hand is still held by himself, Chris's heart is sweet and solid.
Just like in "Strange Story", Ma Dong comforted the contestant Bo Bonnie' words: "There are many bitter people in their hearts, and a little sweetness can be filled." ”
Chris did his best to protect his son, but Lucky didn't do his best to get close to him.
When he sold the last bone density meter, before he could celebrate, he was forced to deduct taxes, and his entire savings were only $21.
To make matters worse, he and his son were completely swept out of the house by the landlord.
The homeless father and son, dragging their luggage, hid in the toilet of the subway station.
Past tribulations have never defeated Chris, but at the moment, he is in tears.
Van Gogh said, "Love is the flame of life, without which everything becomes night." ”
No matter what kind of love, it is the flame that illuminates the way forward, the force that allows us to maintain hope.
Chris dried his tears and packed his bags, he went to the hospital to sell blood and went to Union Church to apply for a shelter.
Life always has to go on, even for the sake of his son, Chris will never compromise with fate.
He is not indestructible, and every moment of collapse, Chris will think of the happy moments with his son.
This sense of happiness encouraged him to fight back again and again.
In fact, there are many kinds of happiness, family wealth, fame and fortune, academic success, marriage can easily give people a sense of happiness.
But the love that comes from the heart is the last straw in the difficult and desperate situation.
The "mourning" in life can only be resolved by full of love.
Like Chris, the dream made him find the right direction, and the love for his son gave him a steady stream of strength.
No matter how bad luck is, people who do not give up their efforts have miracles
"Bad luck" seems to be Chris's fate that he can't hide, even if he has clear goals and is full of energy, but the knockers are either police officers or toll collectors.
In order to join Theswitt as an intern, he wandered under the office building for a month, and finally hooked up with the leader of the personnel department and got an interview opportunity.
However, he was detained for defaulting on a fine, and Chris was not released until an hour before the interview.
He struggled to run to the company, and his sloppiness and frustration left a "bad" impression on the interviewers.
But Chris didn't give up, he worked hard to ease the atmosphere and got the internship with his sincerity and humor.
Because of the need to take care of his son, Chris works 3 hours less a day than others.
So, he didn't drink water or go to the toilet all day, and the telephone handset didn't leave his hand, desperately calling.
In order to enhance his professional ability, he stayed in the relief center, coaxed his son to sleep, used a small lamp, and studied all night.
However, two months passed, and his efforts did not give him anything back until he called the big boss Rebben.
The turnaround is just around the corner, but the hapless Chris, temporarily caught by the supervisor to park, misses his first meeting with Rebben.
Luck, elusive, says that when they abandon you, they abandon you, but people cannot abandon themselves.
Loss and panic swept through Chris's mind, and he used the weekend to take his son to visit Rebben's house and was invited to watch a rugby game.
Chris took the opportunity to introduce his stock products and also met quite a few wealthy people.
His experience is very much like Dong Qing's words:
"The unpredictability of life tells us to hold out for hope at all times. When encountering a setback, sometimes there may be an opportunity and a new path. ”
But it is not only the setback itself that opens the door to luck, but also a soul that never slacks off.
At the end of the internship, Rebben and his friends brought Chris 31 singles, which made him one of the top interns and was officially hired.
Happiness finally came, and Chris's tears overflowed his eyes as he walked through the still bustling crowd and raised his hand to applaud himself.
The classic shots from the film are frozen in this moment, and at the same time, the same classic voiceover sounds:
"Opportunities are always left to those who are prepared, but that's often left over from those who work hard."
Nietzsche once said, "If there is a miracle in this world, it is just another name for effort." ”
Effort provides us with a sense of security in a chaotic world, makes us our own masters, and gives us the possibility to create miracles.
Just like Chris, on the road to ultimate success, he reversed the trajectory of his destiny with extreme efforts.
In 1987, six years after joining Dethwaite, Chris founded Gardner Wealth.
In 2006, he sold most of his shares, which were worth millions of dollars.
This is the character ending of Chris in the story, and it is also the highlight moment of the film's prototype Chris Gardner.
As a well-known investment expert in contemporary America, Chris Gardner's inspirational life has been perfectly presented in the film.
Dreams, love, and hard work are all pieces of the puzzle in Chris's life legend, and together they have made him a ticket to a happy world.
When it comes to happiness, we have all waited or searched for it with anxiety.
The process of finding happiness is not so much a resistance to external obstacles as a protracted war of self.
We need to struggle out of all the "denials", accept ourselves, never give up on dreams and love, and work hard for a long time and with tenacity.
Well, when happiness comes knocking, there must be a lucky person standing behind the door who is good enough to have happiness.
Author | Jin Shanyue should have nothing to dwell in, but to be born with his heart.
Image | Stills from "When Happiness Knocks"