Life on the Edge

While watching Man on Wire, I initially thought that Philippe was crazy for trying to perform such a dangerous stunt: to walk on a thin cable that stretched from one of the World Trade Center buildings to the the other one. But then I also didn't see the big deal with crossing such a wire, and quickly became bored with the documentary. But then shortly after it ended, I realized something greater: it's not necessarily about what Philippe did when it comes to the task, but more about the triumphant nature of it. In other words, what matters is the fact that he accomplished this task, which is definitely not easy to do. A million and a half things could've gone wrong: he could have fallen hundreds of feet to his untimely death, for instance. There could have been an issue with the cables; what if they weren't tied down well enough to support his weight?

This all ties in to risk-taking. Life is about taking risks and challenges. Nothing is certain in life for anyone, regardless of your income, ethnic background, gender, or any other characteristics. You can either be successful, or fail. It's part of the American Dream. People who are living the American Dream didn't just stay within the confines of their comfort zone their whole life. They didn't just do whatever was "easy" for them. Philippe fits this description perfectly. He was living the American Dream, capturing the world's eyes with his daring stunt. Much like with Sugar and Rocky, Philippe faced a lot of adversity, but that didn't stop him from, as Rocky said, "going the distance". Literally.

I was amazed as I watched him walk on the rope, and even lie down on it. I wonder if he was afraid at all, if he was nervous. It had taken so much time to set up the rope, but it was all paying off. That's another important aspect of the American Dream: patience. It takes time and patience to achieve your goals, you can't do everything overnight. Success may not come quickly, but it's worth the wait. Learn to value the process, not just the result.