I watched Forrest Gump today as a kind of a tribute to Memorial Day. To all veterans out there, I salute you. This is really not a day of celebration, but more of a day of reflection and gratitude for the sacrifice these men and women have made for all of us. Forrest Gump is one of my favorite and most celebrated movies of all times. The complexity and execution of this story is genius...the way they put Forrest into the middle of every major event of the time, the Vietnam War, Watergate, the running craze, on and on...truly a masterpiece. And then to weave in the various themes...lieutenant Dan and his belief that he should have died in the field...that was his destiny. Forrest asking his mom what his destiny is, Jenny's hard living ending in HIV which took her life, her destiny...absolutely a masterpiece. The way they incorporated the music of the period. The Doors, Don't You Love Her Madly as "she's walking out the door"... as Jenny walks out on her latest boyfriend. Throughout the film the dialogue is superb...absolutely perfect.
My challenge to you on this somber day is to name your favorite lines in the movie...such as...
(Mama) Life is like a box of chocolates. You never know what you're going to get...
(Forrest) Sometimes there aren't enough rocks...
(Forrest) Stupid is as stupid does...
(Mama) You have to do the best with what God gave you...
(Lieutenant Dan) Have you found Jesus yet Gump? (Forrest) I didn't know I was supposed to be looking for him, sir.
I hope you all have a great Memorial Day.
Curt Samlaska, LTC, MC, USA
