I watched Forrest Gump the other day...such a great movie. It has it all; romance, action, heartwarming themes, and most importantly, shrimp-fried-shrimp. This quote from the beginning of the film has become one of the most famous film quotes in the history of cinema. Forrest Gump's (or rather, his Momma's) candid insight into the thing called "life" has resonated with me ever since the first time I watched Forrest Gump, and continues to become more relevant in my life as I grow older. This is a quote which I've heard and said a million times before, but in breaking it down and pondering the meaning behind it, this quote has become even more profound to me, and I believe the concepts expressed within it makes it very applicable to each of our lives.
If life is truly like a box of chocolates, then it is a wonderful gift to receive, and generally puts a smile on the recipient's face (that is, unless the recipient doesn't like chocolate, in which case they may insert whatever gift of randomly assorted treats into the metaphor...but seriously who doesn't like chocolate?!). Of course, in order to fully reap the benefits of a box of chocolates, one must accept the gift that is being given. One of the most exciting aspects of receiving a box of chocolate is the fact that one never truly does know what they're going to get; this can be good and bad. For example, I have never met anybody who legitimately enjoys every piece of chocolate contained within the box; some pieces get one bite, followed by a sour expression, and then unfortunately meet their demise in the bottom of a trash can. Other pieces are consumed excitedly, followed by an mmmmmmmmmmm..., and they make their way to where they're supposed to be; first your heart...then your stomach, until eventually there are no more chocolates left to eat...which is a sad day indeed. The chocolates that have been thrown away remain in the trash can until the dump truck comes to haul it off to the city dump lot (or maybe it gets eaten by a raccoon who's not as picky as you are). Those chocolates are then replenished in the form of another wonderful gift, and the cycle repeats. As for the chocolates that were eaten and enjoyed...keep your heart warm, and in an attempt to maintain the effectiveness of the metaphor, we'll just leave it at that. :) All joking aside, this is not just a famous movie quote which has been firmly integrated into pop culture and has no meaning whatsoever; this is in fact a brilliant metaphor pertaining to the uncertainty and fragility of life that can be applied to the way in which each of us live.
Imagine your life is a box of chocolates. graciously given to you by God. You open up that box, and you don't know what lies in store for you. Some of the chocolates are absolutely delicious, whereas some get only one bite and are discarded immediately. Each piece of chocolate gets a bite and therefore a taste, but not each piece is enjoyed. However, the very gift of a box of chocolates and the thought behind it warms the heart of whoever receives it, and it provides a renewed sense of the feeling of love; sometimes when it's needed, sometimes on special occasions, and at other times, just because.
Take this one step further: what if the box of chocolates given to you by God is actually the gift of eternal life that is freely offered to us through Christ? What if it's an invitation to follow the only begotten son of God, who in His essence is the very definition of Love, and is the one, wholly true way to experience the complete fulfillment and joy this lifetime has to offer? Similar to a box of chocolates, being a follower of Christ is filled with uncertainty; there's going to be times when it absolutely warms your heart, and other times when you feel like throwing it all away. However, even though each box of chocolates contains difficult-to-swallow, almost unbearable pieces that must inevitably be tasted in order to be thrown away, never forget about the thought which went into it and the gift that it is. God loves us in a such a way which transcends the human feeling and understanding of love as we know it, and He freely gives us this gift, not only because we need it, and not only because it celebrates a special occasion; He gives it to us just because.
