Making the Shift: PTSD and Action, Part 1
Monday, September 6th, 2010 • PTSD Recovery Tips •
Last month I went to see the movie CHARLIE ST. CLOUD with Zac Efron. I didn’t know what it was about; my friend wanted to see it and I went along — and was blown away. The movie is all about trauma, survival and recovery. It was an excellent overview of a PTSD-like symptom state and how one man finally broke free.
[Quick caveat: I'm about to give away some secrets of the film. If you plan to see it, stop reading now and come back later!]
Charlie St. Cloud graduates high school as a sailing star and has a brilliant future planned at Stanford University when, driving one night with his eleven year old brother in the car, they are hit by a drunk driver. Both Charlie and his brother die, but Charlie is brought back to the life by the phenomenal efforts of a paramedic.
He’s alive, but Charlie cannot get over the death of his little brother. He is consumed by survivor’s guilt and the feeling that he did not deserve to survive. Here’s where things get interesting and metaphorical: Charlie defers Stanford and takes a job as an undertaker at the graveyard where his brother, Sam, is buried. Every evening at sunset he meets Sam’s ghost for a game of catch in the woods near the graveyard.
Five years go by. Charlie is known in town as the crazy guy who works in the graveyard. While Charlie sees and speaks with more than one ghost, the town only sees him talking to himself. Charlie becomes isolated, hooked into the routine of graveyard tending and meeting Sam.
Then a girl appears on the scene. Like Charlie, Tess is a sailor. They become friendly. When her boat gets battered in a storm and she hovers between life and death, Charlie is the only one who can see her ghost. He alone knows where she is far out in the ocean. He is forced to make a choice: go rescue Tess who is still half alive, or stay in the graveyard and meet Sam at the usual time.
This is a difficult and heart-renching decision for Charlie. He knows that if he goes to save Tess (with whom he is in love) he has the chance for a life of happiness and joy. But if he does not show up to meet Sam, Charlie knows Sam will never come back.
At a crucial moment of this decision Charlie’s one friend asks him, “Are we going forward or are we going to go back?” Charlie decides to save Tess.
This decision to take action leads to Charlie’s freedom. As he saves Tess he finds meaning in his own survival. From this moment on, he begins to rebuild his life.
All of this has left me thinking….
Tune in next week for part 2.
Tags: Charlie St. Cloud, ptsd, recovery, survival, symptom, Zac Efron
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Hi Michele,
Wow, this short synopsis of yours kind of bonked me on the head as a wake up call. In this situation it is obvious the power trauma has to keep us “going back” and the strength and will it takes to move forward. It was a reminder to me to keep moving forward because some days I just want to “go back and see Sam”. Nice! Thank you
Liana
@Liana — Sometimes we get a wake up call just when we need it! Glad the post resonated with you. DO keep moving forward — one small thing each day adds up to so many in the end.