SOLT History and Life

“THE GIFT OF LIFE”

“… Any process worth going through will get tougher before it gets easier. That's what makes
learning a gift, even if pain is your teacher.”
-James Garner 
Are you gifted with talents, money, or position? Do you feel that your life is wonderful
because you have the things that you think you deserve? Or you feel gifted because you are
contented with the things you have for now; you have a shelter, a family and a friends in your
life? For you what is really a gifts? Is it something that we always unwrap during Christmas,
during our birthday or any occasions? Or something that makes us happy and contented?

While I’m watching the movie entitled, the “ultimate gifts”, I cannot afford to ignore the
emotions with in me. I don’t know the feelings and emotions that I’ve felt that time. It seems that
I am the actor in that movie. That movie gave a lot of realizations in life. The author’s purpose
for this movie is to persuade the audience in giving importance to the gifts that we must develop
and put into practice. We are all gifted! But the problem is we don’t have the courage and
willingness to discover it in our life. In the movie, Red (Grand Father) assigns twelve apparently
simple tasks called "gifts"- of work, money, friends, learning, problems, family, laughter,
dreams, giving, gratitude, a day and love - because of his reckless and selfish grandson Jason
Stevens, who hated him, - challenging the playboy Jason to a journey of discoveries.

Reflecting on the movie, for me, the lesson of this is – if you want to get something, you
must give something. Because on the movie, After the groundbreaking for Emily's Home, Jason
is recalled to the law firm for one more meeting and told he has exceeded the expectations of his
dead grandfather, and he is given the final gift of $2-billion dollars, rewarding Jason not only for
his completing the tasks, but for using the $100-million to help others. It touches on important
life lessons such as the power of love, family, friendship, laughter and even problems. The story
inspires people to realize that “the only way you can truly get more out of life for yourself is to
give part of yourself away.” Before, Jason is very selfish and reckless, but after finishing the
challenges that his grandfather gives, He become a generous and lovable person. He became a

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 SOLT History and Life

man of values, who concerns for needs of other not for his own good. He realized that the true
gifts that a person has is not the money, not the positions, state or status that he has But those
things that he never realize before. It is the hard works, true and authentic love, and problems
that make our life meaningful.

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