Kay:
Hey there, Questers, and welcome back! This is Episode 158, and today is August 12th. We have such a classic quote for you all today – you’re going to love it! It’s from, I think, everyone’s favorite movie…Forrest Gump! And, he says, “Life is like a box of chocolates. You never know what you’re going to get.”
Shi:
Jen-ayyyy! Aww, Forrest Gump is such a good movie! I remember when it came out, I was probably like 9 or 10, and so it was very impactful. Our dad related a lot to the Forrest Gump movie, and, actually, I think the first time I saw Dad cry was watching this very movie. So, it was definitely impactful in my childhood, and what an amazing story, with so many historical moments! And, it just follows such an inspirational character, but also such a simple one. So, Forrest Gump was really just such a good movie and an incredible story.
Kay:
And, now that we’re adults, I look back on it, and I’m like, “Dangggg – there are SO many layers to this story,” and you can see why it got so much critical acclaim! And, Tom Hanks is an incredible actor as well. I’m so glad that we were able to get this particular nugget today, because it’s such a simple way of saying that life is very unpredictable and that you are going to get things that you just do not expect. Shila and I were laughing in preparation for this episode because we’ve been saying that 2020 is kind of like a box full of cacao covered, black licorice…
Shi:
…but it looks like it’s the See’s candy box!
Kay & Shi:
*(Laughter)*
Shi:
They did really well with the cacao, and the licorice too – so it’s really a surprise when you bite into it! Because, you know, it feels like 2020 should be a cool box of chocolates…because it’s 2020, and it’s all kinds of significant things! But, regardless of what kind of box of chocolates 2020 is, one of the things we love about this advice is that it is a metaphor. And, what we know about metaphors is that they help your brain learn lessons faster, because it paints a picture and you’re able to connect with it easier! So, we can connect to that feeling of getting the box of See’s candy, and biting into one of the really dark chocolate truffles, when you actually wanted that Aspen cream…which is my favorite one 😉
Kay:
Ooh, so good!
Shi:
But, you never know what you’re going to get! And so, you can really relate to that feeling here in the metaphor here, and then you realize that it applies to life as well, so you can start to see the ways that this concept expresses big and small in our lives as people.
Kay:
Well, when people often think of this quote, they only think about that second half of the quote, “You never know what you’re going to get.” But, we don’t think about that first half of the quote, which is that, “life is like a box of chocolates”…which means that even though what is inside might not be perfect or everything that you’re expecting, it’s still a box of chocolates, and it’s still delicious! Because, in the lottery of life – you have WON! You are a human being, you are sentient, and you are conscious. I mean, we were laughing earlier thinking about how you could be a cow in the United States of America, or you could be a spider, or an ant hill that’s being moved out of some new construction project that’s happening…So, the fact that you’re here, and that you’re living in that awareness that life is a box of chocolates, in and of itself, is a gift!
Shi:
Right! You get to be the biological symphony that is gifted with consciousness, which really is like a box of chocolates – sweet and surprising! And, sometimes it doesn’t taste very good, but it’s still a box of chocolates. And, I love that you brought that up Kay, because that’s a really great point to make. And, also, if the whole box of chocolates was exactly the same, or maybe you knew what each and every one was, the surprise wouldn’t be quite so delightful, and it would take a lot of the fun out of receiving the box of chocolates! And then, it would just become that run of the mill thing – which means it would most definitely not be made into a phrase that forever lasts the tests of time! So, we remember that variety is the spice of life today – just like it is the delight of the box of chocolates!
Kay:
So, remember, Forrest Gump says that, “Life is like a box of chocolates. You never know what you’re going to get.”
Shi:
And now, let yourself be delighted by today’s quest because it is a bite sized quest coming at you, today! So, today, if you encounter a butterfly, or maybe even a chocolate, or a mini bar, or a little flower that you want to smell, or someone opens a door for you…take that as the Universe giving you a little, delightful surprise – and realize that it’s your job to enjoy them, and eat them with gratitude! So, are you ready?
Kay & Shi:
Let’s quest!
