"It's Not Your Fault" - Rewatching Good Will Hunting Almost 20 Years Later (and twice in one week)

I always find it interesting that several of my go-to movies for making sense of the world revolve around characters played by Robin Williams. I remember when Good Will Hunting came out in 1997 and I thought to myself, "Who are the Matt Damon and Ben Affleck guys and how is it they came to this script when they are the same age as me? What have I done with my life?"

I've come to realize in my adult years that I've sort of become the Mr. Keating (slash) Frank characters as portrayed by Robin Williams. Rather than preaching righteousness, I've wandered into a world of exploring, questioning, inquiring, reflecting, and healing. I always said that I became a teacher not to spark an appreciation for literature (although that is partially true) but to enter a profession that seeks to heal souls through the power of listening and storytelling.

Rewatching Good Will Hunting last night, however, I recognized how much Will influenced Frank and helped him to move forward with his own life. Perhaps this is the reality of a teacher/student, therapist/patient...a mutual collaboration and partnership of better knowing humanity. Abu and Lossine claimed, "That was a good film," and last night Chitunga agreed (we bypassed Fabulous Four for a night of pizza and one of the few DVDs I own - and somehow I got the DVD player to work. When it comes to movies, I'm quite the luddite.

And I'm a better man for revisiting the classic twice this last week. I'm a little more centered, a lot more inspired, and ready for the conversation and guidance to come. Life is more difficult than a two hour film, but a two hour film reflects what is most difficult in life and makes temporary solutions available in a compacted space.

No, Frank...it's none of our faults. It is simply life.