Do you worry a lot? I thought I was pretty good about not worrying about things until I saw this one movie recently.
Now I worry even less.
I only saw the first part, because one of the characters said something that hit me like a frying pan to the face and the pain of the twisted nose and the ringing in my ears made me lose interest in the rest of the movie.
The movie was Bridge of Spies. Based on true events, toward the beginning of the movie a Russian spy was caught by the Americans. He needed an attorney, but being a Russian spy accused of relaying US government secrets to the enemy, no attorney wanted to represent him. Ultimately Tom Hank’s character drew the short straw and was appointed to the case.
The scene that got my attention was where the attorney met with the spy to gather information so that the attorney could mount a proper defense. When the attorney explains that the spy should only speak with him since basically everyone else wanted the spy to be sent to the electric chair, the spy appeared totally disinterested.
Irked, the attorney said, “You don’t seem alarmed.” To which the spy replied…
“Would it help?”
That floored me. It got me to thinking about my petty little concerns that I sometimes spend a grotesque amount of time worrying about.
This guy is about to get fried on the electric chair and all I’ve got to worry about is whether Meijer will have Lean Cuisine Thai-Style Ginger Beef the next time I go shopping. Raises, bonuses, do these socks match, why hidden rainbow hair is trending on Facebook, the latest evening wear on People of Walmart…
Think for a second about the stuff you spend your time worrying about. Be honest, most of it pales compared to becoming rotisserie sandwich material on the electric chair, right?
Seriously, STOP!
And even IF you were headed for the fryer, would worrying about it help? That’s the real point. Worrying doesn’t help. Never.
So take 30 seconds out of your day and think about something that’s really meaningful to you that you can accomplish in five minutes. Turn your attention away from whatever you’re wasting your time worrying about and fill it with one small accomplishment that would make you even a tiny bit happier.
Whenever something starts to wear on me and I contemplate worrying about it, I catch myself and hear the spy’s voice saying, “Would it help?”
And I smile.
Watch the movie today. The scene is well done and the dramatization will stick with you and make it easier for you to tear yourself out of your stupor and put a smile on your lips.
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