So I've been thinking about the following scene from Kung Fu Panda lately between the old Turtle guy (Oogway) and the weird-looking fury thing with big ears (Shifu):
(For those of you opposed to reading click here to watch it instead)
OOGWAY
My old friend, the panda will never
fulfill his destiny, nor you yours,
until you let go of the illusion of
control.
SHIFU
Illusion?
OOGWAY
Yeah. Look at this tree, Shifu. I
cannot make it blossom when it
suits me, nor make it bear fruit
before its time.
SHIFU
But there are things we can
control.
Shifu kicks the tree and a peach falls to his feet.
SHIFU (CONT'D)
I can control when the fruit will
fall.
A peach falls on his head and Oogway chuckles. Shifu tosses
the peach in the air, leaps up, and splits it with a chop.
SHIFU (CONT'D)
And I can control--
Shifu punches the ground, creating a hole and places the seed
in it.
SHIFU (CONT'D)
--where to plant the seed. That is
no illusion, Master.
OOGWAY
Ah, yes. But no matter what you do,
that seed will grow to be a peach
tree. You may wish for an apple, or
an orange... but you will get a
peach.
SHIFU
But a peach cannot defeat Tai Lung!
OOGWAY
Maybe it can. If you are willing to
guide it, to nurture it. To believe
in it.
Oogway covers the seed with dirt.
SHIFU
But how? How? I need your help,
Master.
OOGWAY
No, you just need to believe.
Promise me, Shifu. Promise me you
will believe.
SHIFU
I... I will try.
Oogway smiles, then glances up at the sky, then back down to
Shifu.
OOGWAY
Good. My time has come. You must
continue your journey without me.
He hands his staff to a confused Shifu.
SHIFU
What... what are you..?
Oogway backs away into the swirling fog.
I think watching it is better than reading it but I think Oogway is right that "control" really is an illusion -nothing more. We like to think that we are in control and that we can make things happen according to our own agenda but that's not how it works. Just about anything we think is ours has really just been loaned to us for a period of time by He Who Created It. We can try all we want to make thing happen exactly how we want them to but it will likely never go that way. Life becomes more enjoyable when we stop frantically trying to dominate things that can only be controlled by a Supreme Being and humbly align our will with His. He knows what is best for us and wants what will make us eternally happy. The only thing we really can control is whether or not we choose to trust Him over ourselves. I am grateful for that and I hope that I can never get in the way of what God has in store for me. To quote President Uchtdorf: "We make plans and God laughs."
