002 Do you trust me?
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One of my favorite films of all time is Titanic.
Film’s most beloved couple first meet when Rose, at her wits end, is ready to give it all up. Careening towards the rear of the ship in her beautifully beaded dinner gown, she climbs over the railing, and prepares to cast herself into the icy depths of the Atlantic. Melodramatic? Of course! But haven’t we ALL been there? Determined to find the “easy” way out, looking not to “let go,” we choose to abandon – and there’s an ocean of difference between the two!
Continuing with our story… enter Jack and his distracting conversation. Within a few cleverly written lines, Jack literally derails Rose and earns enough trust for her to take his hand. Why not? She had nothing to lose. As the story goes, and I don’t think it’s a secret after all these years, Jack charms Rose through his artistic spirit, humility and sense of presence captured best over a conversational duel over dinner.
Jack shares his choices in life…
“I got everything I need right here with me. I got air in my lungs, a few blank sheets of paper. I mean, I love waking up in the morning not knowing what’s gonna happen or, who I’m gonna meet, where I’m gonna wind up. Just the other night I was sleeping under a bridge and now here I am on the grandest ship in the world having champagne with you fine people. I figure life’s a gift and I don’t intend on wasting it. You don’t know what hand you’re gonna get dealt next. You learn to take life as it comes at you… to make each day count.”
Later in the film and after another row with her mother and seeing her days mapped out in front of her, Rose takes the first self directed step of her life. In one of the sexiest, most romantic, endearing scenes on film Rose finds Jack again, this time at the bow of the ship. He takes her hand and simply asks “Do you trust me?” She confirms “yes, I trust you” and steps up on the rail of the bow. Jack raises her arms as her scarf flutters like wings soaring across the sea. She lets go of doubt, insecurity, expectations, labels, predefined commitments and begins directing her own destiny. And by the end of our story Rose has transformed from corset-cinched, arranged-marriage socialite, to a free-spirited, adventure-seeking artist.
The Ease of Release & Letting Go 
[…] found. I’ve already shared a bit about my love affair with the story in an earlier post about the trust of letting go. Tonight, I recalled the scene near the end after the ship has sank and only a few passengers cling […]