What do good humans do?

On Tuesday I saw Beasts of the Southern Wild for the 4th time. I love absolutely everything about that film. Its raw, honest, generous storytelling is rich with answers to the most important question good art can ask: what does it mean to be a good human? [[full disclosure: literature geek talking here]]

Sidenote: as much as I loved J-Law in Sliver Linings Playbook (and I really, really did!),  Quvenzhane Wallis deserved to win the Academy Award for her performance in this film. Stunning.

"You da man!"

Most importantly, every time I see it, I walk away with a heart flowing with love and the desire to be a better person.

I am inspired by the characters. Hushpuppy, her dad (Wink) and the rest of the citizens of The Bathtub live off the land and--essentially--other people's trash. They are resourceful suns a guns. I really admire that wild self-reliance.

Reflecting on this, I wonder how I can be more like them? I mean, I'm privileged to have never needed to kill a chicken with my bare hands. I can afford to buy a new shirt every now and then. Not as many new clothes as I would like, but enough. My roof keeps the rain out. Society has never rejected me.

But being like Hushpuppy and Wink doesn't neccessarily mean living that life. It means working every day to snuggle myself into the self-reliant category. What do self-reliant humans do?

Beasts poses several answers: 

The self-reliant build beautiful places. 

The self-reliant never stop surviving.

 "It wasn't no time to sit around cryin' like a bunch of babies."

And, most importantly,
 

The self-reliant take care of things smaller and sweeter than they are. 

Frugality isn't simply a matter of living within means. It is a matter of living in such a way that one is secure enough to help someone else survive. Even if it's only a bit of encouragement. Or a meal. Or shoes. Or help getting a job.

We all have something worthwhile to give. 

.........................Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaand one more video, because duh...I have a crush on Wink. 

No shame.