Over the weekend I found myself watching the film Castaway. Tom Hanks stars as Chuck, a FedEx employee who finds himself the only survivor of a plane crash and stranded on an uninhabited island.
Chuck is forced to find ways to survive, finding food, water, shelter – the basics of human needs. He faces immense grief, his coworkers dying in the plane crash. In his traumatic, physically, emotionally, weakened state he, unsuccessfully, attempts to take his own life.
The unsuccessful suicide attempt is the turning point when Chuck looks to the future. He finds hope that he will be rescued and finds unique ways to survive. Memories of loved ones fuel the will to live.
After four gruelling years rescue arrives. Chuck is faced with more change finding the life he had known, survived for, had moved on. Rocked again by loss and grief Chuck must find a way to find purpose, hope, recovery.
It got me thinking about how trauma like this manifests itself around us in so many ways. From our own, or vicarious, experiences of trauma, and how people find ways to survive, to hope, to live, adapt.
It is not easy. It takes courage, bravery, determination, to sometimes just put one foot in front of the other, to seek help. But recovery is possible.
In the last moments of the film Chuck says ‘I’ve just got to carry on breathing. Because tomorrow the sun will rise, and you never know what the tide will bring.’
A tribute to the human spirit, and how adapting to the changes around us gives hope, survival, recovery.
If you, or someone you know, is overwhelmed with emotions, feelings, struggling to cope, help is out there. My details are on my contact page. Other organisations that can help are:
Samaritans | Every life lost to suicide is a tragedy | Here to listen
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