Dear Birdie: Words of Wisdom from Film
Written by Birdie. Graphic by Ana Vergara.
Welcome back to “Dear Birdie,” a column where I do my best to offer guidance and some humor in response to questions from our college community! Throughout the column, I hope to help answer questions about anything and everything – from class troubles to relationship advice, movie recommendations, and more. This column is anonymous on both ends so that you all can have a comfortable outlet for conversation.
This week, I’m going to switch it up a little bit and impart some wisdom through quotes, specifically from movies, that I hold near and dear. Where would I be without the guiding light of films? I think cinema has a way of helping us discover so much about ourselves and can change the way we view the world. So, allow me to give you a glimpse into some of my favorite movies and what they’ve taught me!
“Medicine, law, business, engineering, these are noble pursuits and necessary to sustain life. But poetry, beauty, romance, love, these are what we stay alive for.” – “Dead Poets Society” (1989)
O Captain, my captain! With each “Dead Poets Society” rewatch, I am lovingly reminded of how important artistic expression and vulnerability are. We’re so lucky as artists that we get to pursue our passions, finding love and fulfillment through the process.
“No man is a failure who has friends.” – “It’s a Wonderful Life” (1946)
“It’s a Wonderful Life” is one of those movies that will make me cry with every viewing. This movie makes you feel reborn. No matter what challenges you face, or what hardships may come, to have friends is already a treasure. To quote a good friend of mine, who texted me this just yesterday, “It’s so beautiful to be with friends.”
“The past can hurt. But the way I see it, you can either run from it or learn from it.” – “The Lion King” (1994)
I constantly have to remind myself that this is my first time alive and that I’m so young. Everything we do is a learning experience, and to try and deprive ourselves of that would make this whole thing pointless. This goes hand in hand with our next quote, which is…
“We rip out so much of ourselves to be cured of things faster than we should that we go bankrupt by the age of thirty and have less to offer each time we start with someone new. But to feel nothing so as not to feel anything—what a waste!” – “Call Me By Your Name” (2017)
This quote genuinely changed the trajectory of my year. It’s so difficult to allow ourselves to ache in the face of pain and heartbreak because we feel this pressure to be unaffected and on to the next. Again, to deprive ourselves of something so human defeats the purpose of it all. Let it ache.
“Life moves pretty fast. If you don’t stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it.” – “Ferris Bueller’s Day Off” (1986)
For me and a few other District editors, wrapping up Winter Quarter means stepping into senior spring, and at such a transitory time in my life, this infamous line from “Ferris Bueller’s Day Off” rings truer every day. I’ve reached the point where I’m not trying to race to the end or rush to the finish line, but rather treasure this beautiful city, the darling people that I get to explore it with, and the way things are at this moment before they escape my grasp.
Watching films is a transformative experience. The medium of film is an endless quest to foster an understanding with each other. I suppose most art could say the same, and this article is no exception. I hope that these words of wisdom make you feel more understood or even inspired, and if you want more, check out all of the movies on this list!
That’s enough chirping from me for now.
Until next time,
Birdie
