i finished the batman trilogy yesterday
I never thought I could learn so much from superhero movies, but as these supers like to do time and time again—I was proven wrong.
Yesterday I finished Christopher Nolan’s series on The Dark Knight and I couldn’t help but discuss between me, myself, and I my impressions on the film and of Bruce Wayne himself.
(if you haven’t watched the movies, i will discuss what occurred in the films—but come on, the timeframe for “spoiling” these classic movies have long passed haha)
There’s this one line that has been following me all throughout the film, one that I even quoted in a recent video of mine.
“Why do we fall Bruce? So that we can learn to pick ourselves up.”
This was said by Batman’s father when “rescuing” him from a fall and it was later re-iterated by Batman’s butler, Alfred, at the end of the first movie. Look at it surface level, and you see a little boy falling while playing outside and his father coming to encourage him. Take a little context into consideration and you see an heir of a massive empire, someone used to being on top, winning and sustaining that win all-throughout his life—crumbled, fallen…And while I don’t exactly have a whole city under my name and live in a mansion + own an impressive array of armory and equipment in my basement (though it would be nice) I very much resonated with this sentiment.
When I think back to my life, God has been gracious to me and has been very much apparent in my life through the care of my parents, the work I get to do with my team and the support system of people that He has strategically placed around me. God gave me ever reason to win many times in my life, and I have taken those opportunities, I have run with them and there have been moments when I have tasted success.
But never in my life did I think I would be as discouraged as I am now. They say the higher you climb, the harder the fall—and well, the last few years have been such a high for me…it was only inevitable that I was going to have to descend as well. When the reality of the pandemic sunk in, that I wasn’t going to be able to travel for a while (not even overseas, but more than a 5km radius haha), that things weren’t going to just “die down” and that we’d have to get comfortable in this uncomfortable season—I found my self in a place of denial.
“I’m good, we’re good, it’s all good.”
While it is good to be hopeful, it is just as important to be realistic. I am beginning to see that the way out of a tough season begins with accepting that it is, in fact, tough.
Rejoice not over me, O my enemy;
when I fall, I shall rise;
when I sit in darkness,
the Lord will be a light to me.
(Micah 7:8)
One’s fallen state may seem discouraging and like a defeat in the eyes of others. But wow, consider it as a chance for the Lord to make himself even more known in the life that you live…Consider it at opportunity to build the mental and spiritual muscles to withstand harder blows from life and deeper struggles…
“Why was Batman relevant again?”, you ask?
Well, 1. He’s always gonna be relevant whether or not you agree hahaha but 2. Out of adversity came a man with a purpose. A symbol of hope. A hero.
Pre-fall, you had Bruce Wayne. Post-fall came Batman.
It takes letting go to rise. Like a helium balloon being weighed down. It’s time to cut the ties that bind my balloon to my perfectionism, my pride and my ego. I CAN’T DO ANYTHING (of importance) ALONE! If everything good comes from the Lord, I need to free up my hands to take hold of my Father’s, who is willing and able to hoist me up from the pit when I am finally ready to rise.
