๐๐ก๐๐ญ ๐๐ก๐ซ๐ข๐ฌ ๐๐๐ฆ๐ฌ๐ฐ๐จ๐ซ๐ญ๐ก ๐๐๐ฎ๐ ๐ก๐ญ ๐๐ ๐๐๐จ๐ฎ๐ญ ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐๐๐๐ง๐ข๐ง๐ ๐จ๐ ๐๐ข๐๐
I just watched the last episode of Limitless on Netflix. Chris is put into an aging suit and lives in a retirement home for three days to experience what itโs like to be an octogenarian. At the end of the three days, he dies (sort of) and then talks about the experience.
It reminded me of a series of four paintings I saw many years ago that changed my perspective on life. Theyโre called The Voyage of Life, by American painter Thomas Cole. They depict a manโs voyage along the river of life.
๐๐ก๐ข๐ฅ๐๐ก๐จ๐จ๐, the first painting, shows an infant safely in a boat floating out of a cave on calm waters into a beautiful, mystical landscape.
The second, ๐๐จ๐ฎ๐ญ๐ก, shows a young man on the same river, now wider, confidently holding the tiller, aiming for an ethereal tower in the distance, representing his dreams and aspirations.
The third picture, titled ๐๐๐ง๐ก๐จ๐จ๐, shows the young man now grown to an adult. The water has become rougher as it courses through a steep gorge with storm clouds in the distance. He has let go of the boatโs tiller and is kneeling. Up above, an angel holds an hourglass.
In the final painting, called ๐๐ฅ๐ ๐๐ ๐, the same man has now grown old but has survived the challenges of life. The waters have calmed again, and so has the manโs face. In this final picture, the landscape is practically gone, just a few rocks and water stretching outward.
Chris Hemsworth's immersive journey and the timeless imagery of Thomas Cole's paintings both underscore a profound truth: life is a voyage, marked by phases of growth, challenge, and reflection. In our youth, we chase dreams with fervor, much like the young man in Coleโs second painting. As we age, we face tumultuous waters, symbolizing the trials of adulthood, where our grip on control often loosens, and we are reminded of our mortality.
Hemsworthโs experience in the aging suit mirrors the calm acceptance found in Coleโs depiction of old age. Itโs a powerful reminder that despite the storms we weather, we need to embrace our journeyโs entirety.