Sunday was an unusual day for July here on California’s central coast.
It rained, sometimes in torrents, with lots of lightning and thunder. And the electricity in our neighborhood was kaput for most of the day.
So we got out of the house to see the new movie Mr. Holmes, starring Ian McKellen as Sherlock Holmes.
McKellen plays a 93-year-old Holmes, long retired to a small farm on the Sussex Downs to keep bees, just as Arthur Conan Doyle reported in the original stories.
As a diehard Sherlockian, I loved the movie and recommend it without hesitation. Sir Ian has joined the pantheon of great cinematic Holmeses.
In Mr. Holmes, the great detective suffers from both failing health and failing memory. The events he’s forgotten now exceed the events he can remember.
Of course, this isn’t the way most of us want to see Sherlock Holmes. We’d much rather see him at the height of his deductive powers.
But as we watch Holmes struggle to recall details from his last case — he wants to set straight Watson’s erroneous account of it, written 30 years before — we witness admirable powers he possesses beyond his puzzle-solving skills.
McKellen’s Holmes shows a dogged determination to recapture his elusive memories, by any means necessary, so he can complete his final life project.
He’s open to the help of others, and he’s devoted to those helpers.
He’s eager to share his knowledge with people who are willing to learn.
We can learn from Holmes’s example. And we can grow as vital individuals from each of the lessons offered in this film.
Let’s take a closer look.
Live life with a dogged determination.
Know what you want. Go for it, no matter the size of the challenges. Let nothing stop you.
Always welcome the help of others.
Be wary of some “help-givers.” Many have agendas of their own that won’t be in sync with your goals. But welcome those people who genuinely desire to help you move forward. They’re a blessing.
Devote your life to helping those others in return.
Return the favor. Maybe your opportunity to do so won’t appear immediately. But it will appear. And you should always look for it.
Share your knowledge eagerly.
Offer it freely to some, depending on the circumstances. Sell your knowledge (and skills) to others — you’ll benefit monetarily, and your customers will benefit from the valuable information you provide.
My advice – see Mr. Holmes. There’s much you can gain from it.
