Last night I watched the movie "The Last Samurai." Now, I remember watching this movie when it first came out in 2003 and thought it was really good but I have not seen it sense. I had planned on working while watching it but shortly into the movie I found that I could not take my eyes off the screen. No it was not the incredible fighting senses that had me mesmerized, it was the lessons embedded into the story that kept me watching in amazement and admiration. This movie is all about the Samurai way of life which is centered around upholding certain principles.
The word Samurai literally means service. These men dedicate their lives to the service of their Emperor. But it is so much more then that. In their village Captain Algren notices that everyone (men, women and children, young and old alike) from the moment they wake up are devote themselves to the perfection of whatever they pursue. They follow a life of discipline, service and compassion. Honor, it is the principle that they believe is of the upmost importance. Honoring yourself, your family, your friends, your enemies and your values.
Everyone in that Samurai village knows the principles the value, do you know yours? What are those principles that you feel are nonegotiable? When you wake up in the morning, what area do you devote yourself to perfecting?
This movie is an excellent reminder of how we should all live our lives. Go rent it, buy it (Walmart $5), borrow it from a buddy...however you do it just watch it. Sit down and take some notes if you seen it before or if it is your first time just experience it but be ready when it is over to take a look at how you are living your life...Are you a Samurai?
