Watching Dead Poets Society - 20 years later

Dead Poets Society came out when I was in high school.  Loved it.  My parents were teachers from Hong Kong.  They were some of the strictest parents one can imagine.  Back then, I felt in my heart pains of the boys in the movie, their feeling of helplessness, inability to make their owner decisions;  I wept when they wept.  

I bought the DVD many years back.  It stayed sealed until yesterday, when I watched Dead Poets Society again.  Robin Williams' acting is just out of this world!  What an unconventional teacher. English isn't just about grammar, volcabulary, or just being able to produce words; it's about learning to think independently.  The most memorable lesson for me 20 years ago is about not conforming blindy.  I often ask myself how much of myself is really me vs. what others expect of me.  I remind myself to be true to myself and live life to its fullness, always.  There is a fine line between learning to play by the rules vs. losing oneself.  Another message in the movie, maybe not as explicitly communicated, is the message of choice.  Neil did not have to commit suicide. He could have chosen to confront his parents instead; a choice not so clear to Neil in his deep, deep well of hopelessness.