The Bucket List: 最高の人生の見つけ方

最高の人生の見つけ方 [Blu-ray]

ジャック・ニコルソン（エドワード役）とモーガン・フリーマン（カーター役）主演。
The Bucket List (2007) - IMDb

余命数ヶ月と宣告された二人のがん患者が、Bucket List（死ぬまでにやりたいことリスト）を元に、
人生の喜びを（再）発見する、というお話。
ここ最近で見た映画の中では、抜群によかった。

Carter Chambers: Forty-five years goes by pretty fast.
Edward Cole: Like smoke through a keyhole.

45年なんてあっという間だった、というカーターに対するエドワードの返しがいいです。
時間はあっという間に過ぎてしまう、という意味のようですが、不思議な表現ですね。
噂によるとジャック・ニコルソンは、アドリブ的にこの台詞を思いついたとか。

Carter Chambers: [in his letter to Edward] Dear Edward, I've gone back and forth the last few days trying to decide whether or not I should even write this. In the end, I realized I would regret it if I didn't, so here it goes. I know the last time we saw each other, we weren't exactly hitting the sweetest notes-certain wasn't the way I wanted the trip to end. I suppose I'm responsible and for that, I'm sorry. But in all honestly, if I had the chance, I'd do it again. Virginia said I left a stranger and came back a husband; I owe that to you. There's no way I can repay you for all you've done for me, so rather than try, I'm just going to ask you to do something else for me-find the joy in your life. You once said you're not everyone. Well, that's true-you're certainly not everyone, but everyone is everyone. My pastor always says our lives are streams flowing into the same river towards whatever heaven lies in the mist beyond the falls. Find the joy in your life, Edward. My dear friend, close your eyes and let the waters take you home.

ここでの「Find the joy in your life」というメッセージは、Wayne Dyer氏の次の言葉を連想させます。

Don't die with your music still in you

より、仕事、というかライフワーク的な観点では、
Steve Jobsの有名なスタンフォード大学卒業式でのスピーチも思い出します。

Sometimes life hits you in the head with a brick. Don't lose faith. I'm convinced that the only thing that kept me going was that I loved what I did. You've got to find what you love. And that is as true for your work as it is for your lovers. Your work is going to fill a large part of your life, and the only way to be truly satisfied is to do what you believe is great work. And the only way to do great work is to love what you do. If you haven't found it yet, keep looking. Don't settle. As with all matters of the heart, you'll know when you find it. And, like any great relationship, it just gets better and better as the years roll on. So keep looking until you find it. Don't settle.

この映画のように、死と直面するという経験は、それこそ人生を変えるインパクトを持っているようです。
マイケル・J・フォックスも、あの病気になったことが人生で最高の出来事だ、というような趣旨のことを言っていた記憶があります。

しかし、理想は有意義な人生を送る為に、死の宣告まで待ちたくないですね。（笑）
でも、少なくとも死を前向きに意識して（＝生きることを意識して）日々を送ることは大事なんだと、再度実感しました。
繰り返しですが、Steve Jobsの言葉。

Remembering that I'll be dead soon is the most important tool I've ever encountered to help me make the big choices in life. Because almost everything ― all external expectations, all pride, all fear of embarrassment or failure - these things just fall away in the face of death, leaving only what is truly important. Remembering that you are going to die is the best way I know to avoid the trap of thinking you have something to lose. You are already naked. There is no reason not to follow your heart.
（中略）
Your time is limited, so don't waste it living someone else's life. Don't be trapped by dogma ― which is living with the results of other people's thinking. Don't let the noise of others' opinions drown out your own inner voice. And most important, have the courage to follow your heart and intuition. They somehow already know what you truly want to become. Everything else is secondary.

それにしても、Steve Jobsのスピーチは本当によくできていますね。。
あの短いスピーチで、本当にいろんな大事なことを、ストレートに言っているんだなぁと、聞く度にびっくりします。