epic battle

finally finally managed to catch Battle of Red Cliffs, [Red Cliff 2], the chinese epic film i have been waiting since last year. and i loved loved loved it.

it was kinda long. i felt tired sitting for so long but i just love chinese war movies. i love war movies, period. i actually shed tears at war movies. maybe i'm a sadist. haha. nope. i'm just awed by the brilliance of the strategists. the plannings. the warriors. the bravery and heroic acts of these guys who believe in something enough that they die for it.

as i was watching the movie, something struck at the chord of my heart.

in the film, a 'new' weapon was designed. it could launch arrows continuously. it was marvelous, deadly and ahead of its time. but i realized that only a select group of people were chosen to use these top-of-the-line weapons. those who used them, were guys who were at the frontline of the attack. the same guys actually had to pass through several stages of tests and attacks before they got close enough to actually launch their weapons and defeat the enemy.

and i was thinking, He has great and mighty gifts for us all. He also has great and mighty purposes for us all. but for us to be able to actually use or even be given these gifts, we actually have to endure the ardous and often, nerve-breaking tests. there are wars to fight and victories to conquer before we are able to actually 'launch the arrow'.

and i wondered, yes. i may see the weapon. and yes, i may want it. it's brand-new. powerful. exciting. and everything i ever dream of. but to get to a place where i actually am able to 'use' it is a different matter.

you know, staying on course is actually way harder than launching the arrow.

fighting the fight is not really what comes at the end. it's the charge towards it.