Make Me Grateful for Second Chances

Sometimes I forget why I love horror movies so much, and then a movie comes along that reminds me. That's what The Substance did--and did unapologetically. When I finished surviving (not just watching) this movie, I was grateful that my life's decisions had not yet doomed me to the same fate our two protagonists met. The movie also raised an interesting question: 

What unnecessary choices do we make in life that needlessly grasp at youth? 

With a question like this, I'm not suggesting we should never make choices to grasp at youth. We can all revisit those childhood memories and locations that provide us a sense of peace. We can also maintain friendships with people who have long since moved away. There's also nothing wrong with continuing to maintain our health and fitness to become the best versions of ourselves. These are all fine practices that we should feel encouraged to maintain. 

The key is "needless." What are the needless attempts we make to grasp at our youth? We all make them. This movie is a warning to question them. It's not all that bad to live life as an aging adult. After all, aging is a gift. Think of all of the people who never had the chance to live to our age. In short, be grateful. Work hard, but be grateful for the opportunity to continue that work. And when you look in the mirror, don't obsess. Keep moving forward as the best version of yourself, a self you regulate through hard work--not obsession.   

The Substance is a sensational gross-out that's heading for the Oscars | The Contributor

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