Needless to say, the entire saga really upset me and not even PM Cameron's pledge for "social fightback against Britain's slow-motion moral collapse" could lift my spirits. I'm unable to comprehend how young people can justify their opportunistic (read criminal) raids for mostly hi-tech gadgets and designer gear by blaming the government & authorities for all that is seemingly missing in their lives. As one of the shopkeepers said, none of the youth who ransacked his shop looked hungry...
Alas, I'm not blogging today to voice outrage as I had the opportunity to calibrate my emotions over the weekend with an inspirational film based on the memoirs of Li Cunxin. "Mao's Last Dancer" portrays Li Cunxin's life journey from a small rural village in China to Madame Mao's dance academy in Beijing and beyond. Far beyond his imagination could ever carry him.
In the film, the various stages of Cunxin's journey as a ballet dancer is beautifully stringed together with Chinese fables such as the Lucky Carp wind chime where legend has it that as the carp swims upstream it has to leap over many obstacles and with with final leap it turns into the Celestial Dragon. The boy's limitations range from not being flexible enough to lack of strength but whatever he lacks in the physical realm he absolutely makes up for in mental toughness as he overcomes his obstacles with gumption. I had to grin at one stage during the screening when Cunxin performed frog leaps up a staircase with sandbags strapped to his legs. My CrossFit coach would have a field day with that move.
As with all great stories the hero has to make tough decisions and be prepared to deal with the consequences. After years of dedicated training Cunxin is spotted by the Director of an American Ballet Company. It is during this exchange program in Houston, Texas that Cunxin has to make the tough decision to either return to China or remain in the States and risk not seeing his family ever again. I won't ruin the end of the movie so make a plan and get your hands on the DVD. Watch the trailer if you need any further "nudging".
Back to my point, here is a person faced with real adversity who managed to exceed all expectations, even his own. He was concerned with hardcore issues like his legacy, his future NOT the latest mobile gadget or designer jeans. I'd much rather walk Cunxin's way than the English rioters'.
Calibration complete.
