I Want My Two Dollars

One of my most favorite movies of all time is the movie Better Off Dead, starring John Cusak when he was basically a kid. I can't really explain it except that it takes me back to when I first saw the movie.

If you've never seen this movie, you're totally missing out on the 80's music and movie sequences. It's hilarious! Anyway, I digress...

Here's the premise for those who haven't seen it:

Lane Meyer (Cusak) is obsessed with his girlfriend Beth and is crushed when she falls for the new captain of the ski team, Roy. After several failed suicide attempts, narrow escapes from the relentless paper boy, and nearly unbearable dinners at home with his crazy family, Lane finds a new love in French exchange student Monique Junot. Meanwhile, he must beat Roy on the slopes to regain his honor.

The idea is that Lane thinks he would be better off dead than to live without his now ex-girlfriend, when in reality he learns the opposite is true. I was watching this movie again the other night for the millionth time and noticed something key that Monique confronts Lane with... his failures stem from his attitude and his view of himself. "I can't" is his middle name.

One of the things my wife and I have always tried to instill in our kids is "if you say you can't, you won't be able to". If you tell yourself that you can't do something you've already set yourself up to fail - you've already determined the outcome before you've even tried. There may very well be things that are beyond your capabilities, at least for the moment. But our words can be very powerful, even to ourselves and can affect our attitude and outlook.

Just take can't out of your vocabulary for a month and see what happens. What could you accomplish? What have you been called to do that you haven't even attempted because of that word?

Oh, and "I want my two-dollars!"
(See the movie and you'll know what this means).

Peace.