Bravery (Project Hail Mary: 2)

This is the 2nd post in a series about the book/movie Project Hail Mary (previous)

Have you seen Project Hail Mary yet?

You should go see it, it's leaving theatres soon!

Anyway, let's talk about a major theme of the movie, the idea of bravery.

Bravery gene

The first time bravery is mentioned in the film is when Grace talks to Yao about it.

(paraphrasing because I don't have the movie memorized (yet))

Grace: "You guys have a bravery gene that I just don't have"

Yao: "It's not about being brave, you just have to have someone to be brave for"

. . .

Repeatedly this idea of bravery is brought up to Grace.

By Rocky.

By Eva.

By Carl.

By everyone around him.

On his last day on Earth he vehemently denies this.

That he's brave.

That he could do something like Project Hail Mary.

. . .

But he proves that he could do it.

It's not about being brave, you just have to have someone to be brave for

What about me?

I often find myself asking myself the same questions that Grace does.

Can I do this?

Can I survive?

Do I have the strength and skill and intelligence necessary to survive this?

And most importantly

Am I brave enough?

Brave enough to withstand the fires of the building that I live in?

Brave enough to not succumb to the thousands of cuts I experience?

Brave enough to live, as broken as I am?

What Project Hail Mary proposes is that it's not about me.

It's not a matter of if I am brave enough.

It's a matter of finding a reason to be brave.

A reason to keep going.

A reason to keep fighting.

A reason to hold onto hope.

Reasons

It'll take some time to fill out my reasons for being brave, but I have some idea of the shape that it might take.

My friends, the ones that I care about and that care about me.

My family, the ones who have seen me through everything.

My loved ones, who hold me close.

. . .

I always hated the idea of living for someone else.

Hated the idea of finding reasons to live.

Because the reasons to live are obvious: I love life.

I love life so much, even though my brain tries its hardest to kill us.

The reasons to live are always obvious to me: to experience more of the joy and love.

Same with the reasons to die: to be free from the pain.

. . .

I hate the idea of finding reasons to live.

But I'm happy with the idea of finding reasons to be brave.

A reason, besides my own selfish desires, to be brave and to be strong and to keep going.

Keep going.

I will be brave.

I will keep going.

I will keep going.

I will keep going.

No matter the pain.

I will keep going.

I will be brave.

Just like Grace.

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