Living Life

"To see the world, things dangerous to come to, to see behind walls, draw closer, to find each other, and to feel. That is the purpose of life." — Sean's inscription to Walter Mitty, "The Secret Life of Walter Mitty"

Henry David Thoreau wrote in a poem, "The mass of men lead lives of quiet desperation." Some have morphed that quotation into, Most men lead lives of quiet desperation. Whatever the wording, the meaning is the same. People are dissatisfied and just going through the motions.

Though he probably didn't have it tacked to his wall, Walter Mitty could identify with that idea. As portrayed by Ben Stiller in last year's "The Secret Life of Walter Mitty," that quiet desperation led to a vivid imagination — a world of escape where life could be what he always hoped it would be. Because Walter Mitty's life wasn't all that glamorous.

Walter had dreams. He dreamed of getting out and seeing the world. But when his father died, he felt a great responsibility to his mother and sister. Somewhere along the way, his sense of adventure had dulled into a daily routine. His desire to get out and see the world, to be something, morphed into his dream life. His life of imagination had become his escape — his way of engaging the bigger world around him.

But, to say the least, it wasn't real. When a photographer and colleague sent him the words above, it began to challenge his imaginary life and propel him into living a real one.

Stiller is a talented comedian. When you are good at one thing, you can get pigeon-holed. I think Jim Carrey's best film is "The Truman Show," the furthest he's gotten from his typical slapstick comedy. But it's often overlooked because it's not his trademark.

Similarly, I think "Walter Mitty" doesn't get the credit it deserves because it's not Stiller's typical brand of comedy. In fact, I'd argue it's not a comedy at all. It's an inspiration and a challenge — a challenge to all of us who are tempted to give into lives of quiet desperation. Life is what you make of it. Life is about living with those around you. To find each other and feel, that is the purpose of life.

"The Secret Life of Walter Mitty" is a beautiful, powerful, and inspiring example of that creedo. It's about a man who learned how to stop living in a world of his own creation and appreciate the life that was all around him. It's a lesson that should inspire us all.