The last four movies that I watched all turned out to be based on true life stories. Each of them was set in a different place and time, and in very different circumstances. Yet they all had some powerful messages and key learnings for us as we aspire to bring more meaning and a sense of purpose into our lives.

Hidden Figures: this award winning movie is set in the US in the 60’s where three brilliant African-American women working at NASA serve as the brains behind one of the greatest operations in history: the launch of astronaut John Glenn into orbit, a stunning achievement that restored the nation’s confidence, turned around the Space Race and galvanized the world. These women were part of NASA’s team of human “computers.”, who calculated by hand the complex equations that allowed space heroes to travel safely to space. Through sheer tenacity, force of will, and intellect, they fought against several hurdles and prejudices and ensured their stamp on American history.

Hacksaw Ridge: The true story of Desmond T. Doss, who won the Congressional Medal of Honor despite refusing to bear arms during the second world war on religious grounds. Doss was drafted into the army, and then ostracized by fellow soldiers for his pacifist stance. However he then went on to earn respect and adoration for his bravery, selflessness and compassion after he risked his own life, and without firing a shot he saved the lives of 75 men in the Battle of Okinawa against the Japanese.

The Zoo Keeper’s Wife: this is set in Warsaw in 1939 where the Warsaw Zoo flourishes under Jan and his wife Antonina’s care. Then the Nazis invade Poland and the story is about how the couple covertly begin working with the Resistance, and display a great level of courage and perseverance, and eventually save hundreds of Jewish lives from the Warsaw Ghetto.

Patriots Day: this movie traces the sequence of events leading up to the bombing at the Boston Marathon in 2013, and its aftermath. It delves into the lives of a few people directly affected by the bombing and tells their stories. It also shows how the investigators display tremendous levels of collaboration, tenacity and race against the clock to find the perpetrators and bring them to justice.

While these movies were based on real life incidents that occurred at different times and in different places, they all teach us some lessons on how we can make our life richer and more meaningful. I have tried to synthesize some thoughts below.

• Choice: if there is one thing that is in our control, it’s making choices. We and we alone are responsible for the choices that we make, the paths that we choose to take. And we need to make them count. The choice could be between 2 different options, or it could be about continuing versus giving up, or it could be about how we deal with a relationship. But the key thing is to weigh the consequences and make a choice that we believe in and then see it through. The three ladies in Hidden Figures choose to join NASA even though they knew about the racial undercurrents and the sexual prejudices that prevailed during that time, and they then stuck it out with the choice they made, to ultimately come out victorious.  
• Conviction and Courage: these two go hand in hand. Whether it is about having belief in our mathematical abilities or it is about taking on the Nazis, we need to have conviction in our beliefs and abilities. The more disruptive the choice, the greater is the need for a stronger conviction and courage to see it through in spite of the hurdles that we may encounter. Desmond Doss refuses to bear arms on religious grounds, yet he wants to be in the frontline for his country during the war. His conviction in his belief helps him see this through and he ultimately ends up getting the Congressional Medal of Honor without firing a single bullet.
• Compassion: this is one emotion that can fundamentally drive a lot of our behavior. It is about showing kindness in our thoughts, words and actions. It is about being helpful and thoughtful towards people around us. It’s their compassion that drives the couple in Warsaw to save the lives of hundreds of Jews in spite of the grave danger that they put themselves in. It is probably one of the most important attributes that is required in today’s world which is fraught with tensions and strife.

If we are all able to make our choices and be at peace with them and their consequences and if we can be more compassionate, it will a step towards leading a more meaningful life. I am reminded of a quote that I came across and fully believe in – We all have two lives, the second one starts when we realize that we only have one.