Rising Above

"I find I'm so excited, I can barely sit still or hold a thought in my head. I think it is the excitement only a free man can feel, a free man at the start of a long journey whose conclusion is uncertain. I hope I can make it across the border. I hope to see my friend, and shake his hand. I hope the Pacific is as blue as it has been in my dreams. I hope."

Stephen King
“Rita Hayworth and the Shawshank Redemption.”

This statement is made by the character Red after he is finally released from prison. Because Red has spent most of his adult life in prison, the outside world is unfamiliar and frightening to him, so he seeks the companionship of his friend Andy.

Although Red is uncertain about his new life, his response to that fear and uncertainty provides an example that all people can learn from and apply to their own lives. He counters the uncertainty of life’s journey by having hope and seeking the companionship of his friend. These two things make him able to cope with a world that has moved on while he was behind prison walls.

Red does not dwell on the disorientation that he feels, but rather he speaks of his dreams, of the blue Pacific Ocean, and of shaking hands with his friend. Too often, we respond to disorienting situations by obsessing over our fears and possible pessimistic outcomes. Although it is always good to have realistic expectations, when fears of the unknown dominate our actions, we neither enjoy or function in life as well as we could if we approached such situations with hope.

Freedom can come in many different forms and need not be as extreme as lifelong imprisonment. Freedom provides people with liberation, of course, but it also demands that we take responsibility for our actions. Red has finally achieved freedom because he has done just that by taking his life into his own hands in an attempt to live a better life than he did before his time at Shawshank Prison.

Finally, although Red is free, he still seeks the comfort and the companionship of his friend. His hope is strengthened by the prospect of meeting his friend which he has long envisioned in his dreams. Friends and other intimates are often our main source of hope because of their loyalty, compassion, and counsel.

Although Red’s journey is uncertain, his hope, optimism, and reliance on mutual friendship indicates that he will find the Pacific as blue as he saw it in his dreams. It is in the fulfillment of our responsibilities, friendships, and optimistic attitudes that we find the strength to continue to hope and dream.

What ways do you remain hopeful in situations of difficulty and uncertainty?

Do you agree with Red’s philosophy that hope is always a good thing?

--Carrie