A short film about what it means to be strong. Written and Directed by Christopher J. Emerson Starring - Orel Smith Narrated by Christopher J. Emerson Writing Support - Nicholas Livanos, Jeremy Rowland, David Tilstra Production Support - Jessica Tandy, David Bunzey, Matthew Disbro, Jeremy Rowland Special Thanks - Darren Case Narration: "Be strong" An instruction rarely spoken out loud, but often whispered. Uttered quietly to yourself, in the brief moment between a deep inhale and a long exhale. You tell yourself to be strong when you feel weak. And in doing so you find strength. How is this possible? How can a mere mortal summon strength? What is strength? For many, the word conjures images of muscles. Rippling, sculpted bodies lifting, pushing, and pulling. Others picture wallets stuffed with hundred dollar bills. Necks and arms weighed down by glimmering metals and stones. Still others see strength as fire. A clenched fist. A sharp blade. True strength is none of these. True Strength lives in the soul. No matter how many tons you lift. No matter how many gallons you sweat. No matter how many millions of dollars, or followers, or romantic partners you accumulate. None of it will make you strong if you weren’t already strong to begin with. True Strength is born of desperation, and heartbreak, and fear. It’s born on battlefields. In cancer wards, and graveyards. But also in bedrooms, and classrooms, and parking lots. When a cloud of failure darkens your path, strength illuminates it. But strength won’t stop you from failing. You will still fall. Even the strong fall. But when you are lying on your back, in agonizing pain, strength is what puts you on your feet. The strong are the ones who get back up. The ones who keep pushing forward, and encourage others to do the same. The strong are the ones who huddle together in the cold. The ones who will rip their own garments to bandage your wounds. Because the strong ones want you to be strong too. It’s the weak man who crushes his enemies. The strong man befriends them. So what is strength? Strength is a choice. It’s a decision. It’s not something that takes years to achieve. It only takes a moment. The moment that you say to yourself “Be Strong” you become strong because you choose strength. You choose not to surrender. You choose to hold on when there is nothing in you except the will to hold on. Once you make this choice you can soar on wings like eagles. Strength is not exclusive. Everyone is created with the same capacity for it. So use it. Until this world drains every drop of blood from your veins and squeezes every breath from your lungs, do not give up. Be ambitious. Be determined. Be courageous. Be Strong.

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