About a year ago, I read If I Stay by Gayle Forman and I still think about it to this day. Not only is it one of my favorite movies which I have watched at least twenty times, but the words of the book will come into my head at random times. This is something that only happens with a few books and is something unique and special. The book and movie follow the main character Mia who is in a severe car crash which results in the death of her parents and little brother. The story captures her out-of-body struggle while she is in a coma and gives us many flashbacks about her family, her music, and her relationship with her boyfriend Adam. Throughout this back and forth between past and present, Mia struggles with the idea of wanting to “stay” or allowing herself to die.
One of the many aspects that captured my heart in this story is the relationship between Adam and Mia. It was spontaneous, unexpected, and shouldn’t make sense. Somehow it works and it worked beautifully for a long time. However, what is so real about their relationship which you don’t always see in movies is that they had real ups and down. College came and they had to deal with that real situation, something I personally had to deal with in my own relationship and so many others had to as well. Mia wanted to go to Julliard in New York and Adam and his band had just gotten a record deal on the other side of the country in Portland, Oregon. It captured their pure love for each other and the genuine way they shared a passion for music together, but it also showed fights about college, spending time together, and what the future held for them. Right before Mia’s accident the two of them had taken a break and she let Adam go explore his music career to find out what it was he wanted. She was waiting for her letter from Julliard saying whether or not she got accepted and it would determine her fate. It seemed as if they were going on different paths but Mia’s accident brought them back together.
He rushed to her in the hospital and begged her not to leave him. This was hard for her because if she stayed, she would wake up and orphan. Even her grandfather told her it was okay to let go. However, even though she lost her immediate family she had so many other family members and friends who loved her and wanted to be by her side. After much back and forth within Mia, she decided to stay which is where the movie ended. Their relationship overcame her struggle and brought her back. Her love for her friends, her family, her music, and for Adam gave her reason to stay. It captures the idea that true friends, family, and passions can help you overcome anything.
