*Spoiler alert: There are spoilers in this article about the book and movie.
I hope you fell in love with TFIOS how Hazel Grace fell in love with Augustus Waters, “the way you fall asleep; slowly, and then all at once.” This book is relatable, not just because we all know someone or know of someone with cancer, but most importantly because we are all humans and we were either once in love, are in love or one day will be in love.
John Green is an amazing author. Not only is he brilliant in the way he strings words together, but he is thoughtful and able to make everyone feel the simultaneous heart warm and heartbreak that this story provides. Thank you John!
If you have not read the book or watched the movie, kindly do one of them before you read this article. There are a few spoilers ahead and I would be damned if I ruined this amazing love story for you. If you are still reading this, I trust that you appreciate the story and the messages portrayed in TFIOS. This book taught and reminded me of multiple important parts of life. Here are seven of them:
1. Metaphors. Everyone should use them.
“You put the killing thing right between your teeth, but you don’t give it the power to do its killing.” If you really think about it, it’s almost as if Augustus was looking death in its eyes and saying “screw you.” We learn words like metaphors, similes, etc. in English class, but it’s only ever so often that we actually apply them to our real life. Metaphors help us to make sense of something and it creates quite the dramatic effect when describing your life and your story. I’m thinking about a metaphor for myself as I speak, so I hope you are too.
2. We should not fear oblivion
As you know, Augustus Waters feared oblivion and wanted to be remembered by many. He wanted to be a legend. He didn’t want to die without having made his impact on the world, but Hazel Grace had quite a different perspective. There are so many people in this world that it is almost impossible to touch all, even to touch half. She encourages us to ignore the inevitability of oblivion for it will come no matter what. Each one of you is important and whether you make an impact on one person or one thousand people, you will make a difference. You are important, don’t you forget that. It’s okay to be loved deeply instead of widely. Some people would even argue that it’s better.
3. You need friends to help you get over the hardships of life
Now… now, I’m not telling you to break trophies and egg cars! But, I think an important lesson to take from this movie is that friends do help you to get through heartbreak and tough circumstances. Sure, friends won’t always have the best soothing words to say, neither will they make the pain go away, but they sure will make the process of healing easier. I know that many of you reading this will say that you can get through certain situations alone. I have no doubt that you can, but another valuable lesson learned from this movie is that time is limited and so are good people. So if you have them, appreciate them. Let them be there and in return, also be there for them in times of need.
4. Appreciate your parents and guardians
Yes! I had to include this one (don’t roll your eyes, I see you!). We are constantly told to appreciate those who take care of us. Whether it is our mom, dad, sister, aunt or family friend, we can sometimes take them for granted one too many times. Growing up, it’s terribly difficult to truly understand and see all of the sacrifices that they do for us. We tend to be rude, to rebel and sometimes we even rejoice whenever we move away. Let’s be honest, we’ve all thought they were a pain at some time. However they are constantly there, through thick and thin. If at any point we needed their care how Hazel and Gus did, they would be there. Take time to appreciate those who raised you to be who you are, who fed you as a child and who taught you to read. Send them a text or give them a call before the day is over. A simple “thank you for everything” and an “I love you” can easily brighten their day.
5. The world is not a wish-granting factory
I hope most of you can agree with me on the fact that the discovery of Gus’ condition and consequently his death were quite heart wrenching. These parts both in the book and the movie shattered my heart into a few pieces. Everyone loves to believe in fairy tales and happy endings. That’s how we were raised, isn’t it? Disney movies and media as a whole: everything ends with a smile, sunshine and rainbows. TFIOS sends a strong message by showing that not all endings are happy and that not all wishes come true. However, we must also realize that there are good moments and memories in our life and that even though everything may not turn out how we want it to be, we can enjoy the ride and make the most of it. We are all on a roller coaster and we should all aim for it to only go up.
6. Do not rob yourself of a beautiful infinity
Even if you think you are a grenade and want to minimize the casualties that you cause, do not rob yourself of a beautiful infinity. Too often we find ourselves in situations where we think it’s either too soon, we don’t deserve it or we are too young to understand the meaning of love. Sometimes we may even fool ourselves into believing that it’s “the wrong time.” Stop making excuses for yourself and let yourself be happy. You will never know what something could be until you give it a try. Our generation finds itself using “what if” way too often, do not join the “what if” club. Life is full of surprises. Who knows, you may find your Gus or your Hazel. After all, “some infinities are bigger than other infinities.”
7. Okay
Monica and Isaac had “Always. Always.” And Hazel and Gus declared, “Okay? Okay.” Once you read the book and watch the movie you will definitely understand the depth of these simple words. Everyone says it’s the small things that matter and sometimes it takes a love story like this to help us to really understand. For those of you who are sharing a part of your life with someone, I hope you have your own significant word/phrase to call your own; and for those of you who are still looking for Mr. and Ms. Right, have a word or a phrase for yourself or with your best friend. Everyone deserves a person with whom they can share such a simple wonder. Okay? Okay.