Tag Archives: harrison ford

15 Life Lessons Learned from Henry Turner

Time for a movie.

I had to do something different that day….I felt like I wanted a little comfort…..so I put on a movie that I love (motivated from lesson number 12 from when my dog was sick a few weeks ago.)

The movie that called out to me was Regarding Henry starring Harrison Ford and Annette Bening. I’ve watched this movie a dozen times, but this time was different. It’s been a few years since I watched it and this time I had lots of realizations about life so I wanted to share.

I learned 15 lessons from Henry Turner that day. And here they are:

1. It’s never too late to do what you want to do. After being a lawyer for years, Henry realized, after he got his second chance at life, that he didn’t like being a lawyer. So what did he do? He walked in to the office and said good bye to everyone. You don’t need to be shot in the head to realize this. Life is short, do what you love!

2. Be who your truly are – it feels good! The new Henry realized that he didn’t have to try to impress or make anyone happy but himself. He was eating eggs and wearing his clothing because that’s what he thought he should be eating and wearing, like the old Henry did, and he didn’t want to disappoint his wife and child. Then he finally got the guts to say he didn’t like eggs or his clothing and felt much more comfortable in his own skin and realized it’s important to speak up when something matters. What are you holding in so to not hurt someone else?

3. Material stuff doesn’t make for a happy life. Henry Turner had money, a big house, a servant and many other things that many would be jealous of. But you know what? He wasn’t happy. He was having an affair and not spending time with his daughter. He had everything money could buy, and he was not happy. The new Henry Turner liked the simple things in life like baking with his daughter, holding his wife’s hand while walking down the street, and taking care of his puppy. It’s the simple things in life that are truly meaningful.

4. Connection and communication are critical for happy relationships. If you’re a workaholic like the Henry before he was shot, you’ll miss out on some of the best moments ever. And I doubt that anyone on their death bed would say they wished they worked more :).

5. Don’t be mean. In one scene Henry was on the phone explaining, in a mean way, that someone delivered the wrong dining room table. Treat others like you want to be treated….and you’ll get a much better response too!

6. Be curious. Bringing curiosity to life is so much more interesting. It makes life an adventure, not a burden.

7. See life as if looking through a child’s eyes. This is an expansion on number 6 above. See things like you’ve never seen them before, like a child looking at it for the first time. It not only brings in curiosity and adventure, but it induces more fun and play. Henry asked his daughter Rachel a lot of questions and she helped him learn things again too, like how to tie his shoe again.

8. Be courageous. Discover what you want and go for it. Henry realized many things after he was shot and at first he didn’t act on them. But after being miserable for a while, he summoned up the courage and went for it, (just like when he came back from a walk and asked his wife out on a date.)

9. Live life like no one’s watching. Did you ever want to do something but then your mind came in and told you you’d look like a fool so you didn’t do it?Â  Well, Henry’s wife, Sarah, was surprised when he held her hand when they were walking and he asked why and she said because you never liked to show affection in public. He say, ‘oh yeah, well I don’t mind now’ and he pulled Sarah up on a bench in the middle of the city and started kissing her.

10. You can do anything you put your mind to. After he was shot, Henry couldn’t walk or talk. He worked harder and harder to learn how again and in the end, he was walking and talking again…..which leads me to my next lesson……….

11. Everyone at some point can use a little help and support. A big reason Henry learned to walk and talk again was because of his physical therapist, Bradley. Bradley loved helping people and not only was he a great therapist, but he had a great personality. Are you needing of a help in some area? Who could you ask?

12. If you realize you did the wrong thing…..make it right the best you can. When Henry was his old self, he won a case for a hospital who said the patient never told them he was a diabetic, when he actually did. As his new self, Henry discovered the wrong doing he had done and after he quit being a lawyer, he visited and gave a paper to Mrs. Matthews (the person of the husband of was the diabetic) that would help them with their case.

13. Acknowledge all those who help you. Old Henry would never say hello to the bellhop who said hello to him every day and who opened the door for him. But then when the new Henry came home for the first time after getting shot, he hugging the bellhop. Even their house servant said after he was home, ‘Mr Henry, I like you now much better’.

14. If life gives you another chance, grab it make it the best ever! That sentence says it all….except for the fact that you can have the best life ever now…no need to wait for a second chance……..do it now!

and lastly

15. If you keep forgetting where you put your keys, buy a hook so they have a home and you can always find them. :)

If you’ve never watched this movie before, I highly recommend it.









image via wikipedia