I went to the Hunger Gamesmovie with daughter recently. Katniss is an intriguing character. She is a leader by actions more than words, resilient, strong, passionate, tenacious. She overcomes tons of obstacles to not only survive but flourish. But she is also a compassionate warrior who puts others first and protects those who need it most.
It was fitting to be there with my daughter because I see a lot of those qualities in her. She, too, has been resilient, and she is someone who overcomes obstacles and flourishes in challenging circumstances. Since she was in middle school she has had a passion to reach and work with the kids coming out of tough environments. A lot of people talk about doing something like that, but she actually did it. This last year she stayed true to the burden and calling and accepted her first teaching job in a tough school in a very difficult and challenging area. And everyday she wades into the mess with those kids.
One of the great lines in the movie that really stuck with me was near the end. The participants are battling to the death in the dome. They are trapped in this surreal environment that the government has created for these “games”. The alliances are starting to break down and Katniss is literally taking aim at someone in her core group of allies. It is the critical moment in the movie, when that character yells out to her and says “Katniss, don’t forget who the real enemy is…” In that moment she remembers they are in a dome and the real enemy is not in front if her; the true enemy is beyond the dome.
When I heard the line, it struck me as profound. So often I look at what is in front of me, and I think the opposition is what I see or feel at the moment. I am struck again today to not get locked up in disagreements with those close. There is so often a much bigger story playing out than what is right in front of me. Seems significant to me to not get stuck in the small stuff — the stuff that often seems so big — and to take those words to heart.
Remember who the real enemy is.
