You sit down in the theater. You’ve watched a trailer that your friend showed you, and you hear the reviews are decent, but you don’t really know what you’re about to see. You just grab some Kit Kats and Skittles, walk on into Theater 10 with your friends, and there you are. Buckled in and prepared to watch the movie that you came to see.

The screen turns on and you sit there, silent, watching the opening seen. It’s captured you, got you interested and anticipating what is to come. But you still don’t sit there daydreaming about the 55-minute of the movie and what it would be like. No, you are paying attention to exactly what’s in front of you, taking in the colors and the definition, the sounds and the cries, and the characters that have captivated you.

Along comes the midway point, and you find yourself crying. Maybe your friends don’t think anything is terribly sad in this movie, but you’ve invested yourself in it. It’s moved you. It’s torn you. It’s tugged at your heartstrings, and you’re just begging for answers. Why do the characters seem like they are falling apart? Why is it all happening? Nonetheless, you continue to sit through the movie, tears and all, because it’s what you came here to see. You’re not going to walk out of the theater when something important happens, even if it does bring a tear to your eye.

Sure enough, the end of the movie comes along, and it’s brought a smile to your face. The characters seemed to have made it. They’re alright. You feel like you’ve been on this journey to another world, but it was one you wanted to go on. The ups and downs and the dreaded suspense kept you on the edge of your seat, alive and thriving for more. And you got what you came for. You got that happy ending that felt like it was all you ever wanted after seeing the hardships that other parts of the movie carried. And when it comes down to it, that was the best movie you’ve ever seen.

Life – it’s like a movie.

You’re here, alive, with an adventure ahead of you. Just like you sat in that theater waiting for the movie to start, there is no turning back now. You didn’t know what was going to happen in the movie, but that didn’t mean you didn't watch it. You don't know what is going to happen in your life, but that doesn't mean you shouldn't live it to it’s fullest. Just like you were moved by both the pleasant and unpleasant parts of the movie, be moved by your own life, too. Don’t let the uncertainty of what is to come keep you from opening your eyes to what is already in front of you.

And remember – don't quit when times are rough. Do you walk out of a movie when you start crying? No! You sit there, accepting what is happening, feeling it, and you keep watching it. You keep moving forward. You don’t back down and quit in life just because things aren’t going as planned. You recognize the situation to the best of your ability, and you push through it.

You keep watching. You keep living, you keep hoping, and you keep your head up high. Sometimes, it’s those sad parts of the movie that become your favorite parts, because they showed you just how powerful the better parts were. In life, it’s our mistakes that often lead us to have a greater appreciation for our successes. Even mistakes, although they sometimes don’t feel like they do, help to lead us to where we are.

So, take it from both a movie fanatic and a life fanatic – it’s when times seem the worst that you must not quit. Life’s like a movie. There’s always something great and unexpected… just ahead.