Long before they were built, while waiting for a dentist appointment, Philippe Petit saw a story about the World Trade Center twin towers being designed. And as he saw the story he knew already that he had to try to walk between them on a high wire. In fact, he was dreaming of walking across a wire strung between the twin towers before construction on them started! And by the time he would get to try to do it his passion for this would have led him to cross a wire strung over a bridge in Sydney, Australia and walk a span of cable strung between the towers of Notre Dame Cathedral in France!
One problem with this dream is that it was illegal. Not only would a plan need to be developed to carry out the feat of walking on a wire strung a quarter mile above the ground, that plan would have to include stringing a tightrope cable without being seen by staff, security, and anyone else who might reveal what was happening before the plan was carried out. Every detail would matter. Miss something and you get caught before you try. Miss something else and you fall to your death.
The documentary film about this exploit is called Man on Wire and it is the amazing story of a dream, a plan, the tireless effort to make the impossible real, and the people involved in trying to make it happen. If you want to be intrigued and inspired about someone who could see possibilities and ignite passion in a team to pursue them, this Academy Award winning movie may be the best documentary film in years. Watch the DVD and then ask yourself what you have seen and what you learned by watching this group of people pull off the unbelievable. And then ask yourself, what are you called to be dreaming about and what are you doing to make it come true?
Comments