After Mr Pete viewed the “I PLAY ROCKY” trailer, his mind took flight.
Inspiration? For sure!
Please read on to see how his recollections play out in this eye-opening WowMe. —the editor
There is an ancient branch of Japanese wisdom called “GANBARU”, a guide to live your life thorough perseverance, discipline, resilience & purpose:
*Ganbaru (頑張る) is a Japanese verb that means to persist, work hard, and do one’s best through tough times. It literally means to “stand firm” or “hold your ground”, combining the kanji for stubbornness or toughness (gan) with the kanji for sticking to or stretching out (haru)
These are notions that this young grasshopper was unaware that his father had been encouraging him in. I was aware that my father had visited JAPAN once for a business trip but these notions are not strictly confined to Japanese Traditions.
My father had a postmodern statue on his home work desk.
From Dad’s desk…
This mini sculpture found its way into my possession after my DAD had passed.
Note: Some might recognize this as “the Sisyphus boulder” — a well-known punishment from Greek mythology. The gods made a king named Sisyphus roll a huge rock up a steep hill. Every time he got near the top, the rock rolled back down, and he had to start over again forever.
How it Ties-in…
<<< ReWind <<< There were two elements of what I refer to as “The Gladue Report Card Meetings.” In the Dark Room of his home office, around Report Card Time, my Dad would bring each one of us, individually to go over our grades [Think of it as a performance review which he no doubt had lots of experience doing in his job at Allied Corporation].
Many years, I sat there and pleaded my case:
“I was doing the BEST that I can.”
My Dad would point to his “Man pushing a Boulder Statue” and would often say:
…Discipline is NOT enough without Structure.
That was too heavy a thought for my young mind to comprehend.
Structure??
The second element was how closed our “conferences” – with lasting images.
One was a silhouette of the Kennedy Brothers, deep in discussion.
“Someday I wish that the GLADUE brothers would be working together to solve the problems of the world.”
Gee, Dad… NO pressure there!
The other picture was of a giant Jesus standing by the UN building in New York, apparently knocking on the side like it was a door. My Dad would always say it meant that the world needs to welcome JESUS into their HEARTS.
…That picture always freaked me out…
In my young mind I thought the picture was JESUS looking into the windows because “HE SEES EVERYTHING.”
This was the start of my inferiority and paranoia complexes (LOL).
>> Fast Forward to 1976 >>
In 1976 a movie came out “ROCKY” — a story about a down on his luck Philadelphian boxer.
[See Trailer here.]
My sister and I instantly related to the lead character. For me it was because Rocky often mumbled and was not worldly in the game of love, and I was suffering from a stutter –too shy to talk to girls.
It was the training scenes that immediately resonated for my sister. The theme song became her motivational soundtrack for her workouts for Track and Cross Country.
…We both knew it was a movie to share with our Dad.
That being said, I should point out that my mother was hesitant in giving her approval because an early review in our parochial
paper, THE BEACON, suggested good Catholics to show CAUTION before viewing it.
My Dad, having grown up during the GREAT DEPRESSION and surviving WWII, was always able to relate to the underdog.
I think it was in 1977 when all three of us were able to catch the movie. Afterwards my Dad expressed his approval.
>> Forward some more…>>>
It wasn’t until many years later, after my time in college that I came to realize that many of the core basic notions that were part of the ROCKY movie series were the same ones that my father had tried to instill in me as a Young Man. For that, I’m grateful [chest thump. point to the sky.].
It has been a few years since my DAD has passed, but when I saw the trailer for “I PLAY ROCKY”, I felt in my heart and mind that this was a film I wished I could share with him.
It is about how “Rocky” the movie, came to be. That “making of” story seems to be as inspiration for writers and filmmakers as the original film was to all us underdogs and dreamers/believers.
In my mind, somewhere my DAD is smiling and maybe shedding a tear or two.
That’s a Wrap!
Yes! As I move through MY day-to-day existence, I find comfort knowing the Hungry Soul, although tragic, fragile and flawed will always BE and always REMAIN a WORK IN PROGRESS**.
** In corporate-speak, WIP – Right, Dad?
I really wish the movie was coming out soon. Guess repeated viewing of the trailer will have to do.
Thanks for reading! — Mr Pete
Bonus Clip…
As seen on Mr Pete’s FB timeline…
About Mr Pete
A music aficionado, Mr. Pete’s mind and ears have no horizons. He has the uncanny ability to suss out the right song for the right time — a skill that is truly amazing. The Gang here at Jedemi enjoys his contributions.
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