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Regarding the movie, Beautiful Mind, John Nash tested his perceptions many times based on the responses of his roommate to his stories.  The ‘trick’ played on the movie audience was the discovery that the roommate was actually a construction of Nash’s mind. Suddenly, Nash’s story was like a house of cards falling apart as the real scenario was revealed.  We could share a part of Nash’s confusion having ourselves created his story based on these imagined characters.

Interestingly, the shock that the audience felt paralleled the emotional upheaval displayed by Nash.  I liked that part of the movie because the audience entered Nash’s world in a very small way but emotionally effective.  The experience of being fooled as easily as Nash was quite powerful. We love to be tricked, fooled, have our emotions strung out as long as we land solidly on our feet after disembarking the ride.

I have greater empathy for those who walk among us and are not able to ‘get off’ the ride. I remember how unnerving it was to live through earthquakes knowing that there is no place you can go to escape the moving ground. I still can’t wrap my mind around the reality of the World Trade Center collapse.

I especially feel grateful each day for the ability to step on stable ground and cherish my family and friends, knowing that at any time my reality could change.