Saturday, April 16, 2011

RYAN


Just about the most moving thing I have ever seen while watching a movie/TV screen is the final scene from Stephen Spielberg's
'Saving Private Ryan.'

It is set during World War II at Normandy on D-Day, June 6, 1944. A full fifty percent of the men who were part of that first wave at Omaha Beach that day never lived to see the sun set that evening.

Paratrooper Private James Ryan and his unit had been spared the horror of that because they had been air-dropped into Normandy the night before. Unbeknownst to him, two of his brothers had not survived the D-Day assault and a third brother had been killed in action in New Guinea. Captain John Miller and his men had been assigned the task or retrieving Ryan from the field because U.S. Army Chief of Staff George C. Marshall thought three out of four sons lost to one mother was quite enough for one family to contribute to the war effort.

Ultimately, Captain Miller and his team found Ryan's unit and Ryan's battle soon became all their battle as they joined in the fight. The Germans came at them and Captain Miller never let Ryan leave his side. Through the course of it, Captain Miller was shot. As he lay there dying, Miller manages to say to Ryan: 'James. Earn this. Earn it.' Of the squad sent to save Private Ryan, only two escaped unscathed. All the others were dead or dying.

Decades later, James Ryan, now a father and grandfather, brings his family to the cemetery where Captain Miller lay. He hopes he has 'earned' it - that his life has counted for something - that he has been worthy of the price Captain Miller and others paid on his behalf.

James Ryan comes to the headstone with his wife beside him. He looks at her and says, 'Tell me I'm a good man.' With great earnest, she answers, 'You ARE.'

I can barely write about it without getting wet behind the eyes. It is one of the most emotional moments on screen I can remember. Who of us can watch that or read this without asking ourselves the very same question: 'Have I lived a good life?'

That question pursues every human. I continue asking myself that kind of question even before I'm anywhere near the end (hopefully): 'Have I been a good man? Have I lived a good life?'

What will the truth and destiny of our lives be?
How can such a life be lived?
Have I lived one?
Have you?

And be blessed.

3 comments:

jim janis said...

I CRIED AT THE BEGINNING TOO!!

PK's BLOG said...

YES JIM. So true.

Anonymous said...

I have never seen it, though I have heard of it for years. Soon...

As far as living a good life...I have times when I, and I hope God, was proud of me. Other times, not so much so, at all.

Right now...hmmmm, I am doing really well in some areas, but it
is hard to hit on all cylinders.

It would be reassuring to know I have many years ahead of me to get it all right...I hope so!

I think we all have areas that we shine, but not one of us can shine in everyone. Life doesn't work that way. We can do our best in those times. Thank God for His mercy.