"The Last Samurai" was shown on television tonight. It tells the story of an American soldier named Nathan Algren (Tom Cruise) whose personal and emotional conflicts bring him into contact with the samurai in the wake of the Meiji Restoration in the Empire of Japan between 1876 and 1877.He decides to help the new Meiji Restoration government train its first Western-style conscript army for a hefty sum. During the army's first battle he is captured by the samurai Katsumoto (Ken Watanabe) and taken to the village of Katsumoto's son, where he soon becomes intrigued with the way of the samurai and decides to join them in their cause. His journal entries reveal his impressions about traditional Japanese culture, which almost immediately evolves to admiration.
Some have dismissed this movie as a Tom Cruise vehicle. Although I am not a big fan of the man, but the show has merits: values such as discipline, loyalty and sacrifice were clearly shown by the last samurai. Another is to live and die in honour. At the end of the movie, the Emperor asked Algren of Katsumoto's (the Emperor's teacher and the samurai's leader) death:
Emperor: "The samurai is not a man now. He is an idea. Tell me how he died"
Algren: "I will tell you how he lived"
Herein lies a great lesson for us. We value the moment we have now and live it to its utmost possibilities. We live our lives now as best as we can - in all aspects of it, such as in our service to God, in our service to mankind, in our service to the animal kingdom etc. It is being our best now, and that makes our eventual destiny the best that we can be and the best that we should be.
As human beings, we wish to leave behind legacies upon our transition into the next world. But these legacies are constituted by all of our best contributions that we make now. Our future which we are going to remember and what we will be remembered of by others, are what we do our best and honourably here and now. It is the 'small things' that we normally take for granted - and hence, it does not take all of our great efforts.
And beautifully, that is probably how we will be measured by God, The Almighty in our final account.
It is our best journey that we make now instead of which eventual destination we may/may not reach later...
Praises be to God!
3 comments:
Salam,
Yes, what I found memorable from the movie was the final dialogue between Emperor and Capt.Algren, too...
It has the same set of issues posed for "A Walk to Remember."
How did we live?
The difference between Jamie and us is that Jamie knew roughly when her time on earth would end... but the question remains:
How did we live?
The other thing that caught my attention was about the discipline of the Samurai that induces "Stillness of Mind."
In Islam, we too have such a tradition... but, like a lost gem, that is, in truth, hidden... only revealed to seeking jewellers...
Wallahu a'alam.
Wassalam.
Salam,
It is in our search that we will find - whatever that may be.
But we can also be lulled comfortably to be happy with what we have, or worst, be happy with our "fate" - whatever that also may be.
It is, as if, we know what our destiny and fate is...
We don't.
Salam,
I have been thinking of that, too... every day, every little effort, every little lesson that Allah gives, to what end, to what destiny, we do not know...
And this is where we talk about guidance... we talk about hope...
In the meantime, we continue to seek...
Aren't jewels only the vessels for reflection of light? That, in the end, it is the beauty of light that makes it truly valuable?
Wallahu a'alam.
Wassalam.
(Seeking Stillness Still)
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