Smith - Thoughts on Avatar the Last Airbender

I recently started a rewatch of the show Avatar the Last Airbender. This show is very entertaining but also provides interesting perspectives on the hero’s journey and how it can relate to many characters in a story. In season 2 episode 2, the main group has to unite with a whimsical travelling group to make it through a mountain pass safely. Sokka takes on a leadership role, trying to navigate using maps to make it through, while the travellers say they just need to rely on love. As conflicts arise, he has to find creative solutions that he previously would have thought were ridiculous. After they make it out, one traveller says to Sokka, “I hope you learned something about not letting the plans get in the way of the journey.” It made me think about how we really cannot plan out the journeys life takes us on, and we have to learn how to go with the flow to accept change that comes our way. This quote also reminded me of a song lyric from Beautiful Boy by John Lennon: “Life is what happens to you while you’re busy making other plans.” I was driving to my home from CNU as this song played, and it provided a great moment of reflection on how my past year went, and how so many things happened to me that I never could have planned for. 

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