“Let me tell you this, the older you do get the more rules they’re gonna try to get you to follow. You just gotta keep livin’ man, L-I-V-I-N’.” – David Wooderson, “Dazed and Confused” (1993)
Maybe it’s because Matthew McConaughey said it, one of my favorite actors. Or maybe it is because it’s from one of my favorite movies, “Dazed and Confused.” Either way, this quote from the character David Wooderson has always stuck with me because of how simple it is to understand, yet I always have to remind myself of the message.
For those who haven’t seen the movie, Wooderson is a calm and cool guy in his 20s that still hangs around the high school kids, yet his charm and kindness make him a likable character. When one of the protagonists is faced with a debacle over his future on the football team, Wooderson delivers this exact line to ease his worries.
Although it may seem silly, this line really does resonate with me because I find myself taking life too seriously and worrying about things that I have no control over. This semester has been especially busy with all of the responsibilities and decisions to make as a senior, and there have been many times where I felt the need to re-watch this scene for comfort. McConaughey delivers the line perfectly, as if he’s talking right through the screen to the viewer.
To all of those reading, stop worrying about the little things that won’t matter in a week. Ride with the current, not against it. Do the things you WANT to do, not the things other people want you to do.
And most importantly, live. L-I-V-I-N’.
