My Green Arrow...

"Arrow means a sense of good direction and signifies that you're moving forward to whatever direction you're heading off to, and not looking back at what you have left behind."

Often times I've wondered if this is why both DC & Marvel has a superhero (Green Arrow & Hawk eye) with their weapons as bow and arrow, to give them a good sense of direction. So this story starts with a young gorgeously charming spoiled billionaire finding himself, struggling to life in an island with his father. Little did he know that his life is going to take a Topsy turvy turn from there. Tragic events follows this starting from his father shooting himself to save his son Oliver, only moments after revealing the darkest secrets he had been hiding forever and this is followed by getting beaten up and humiliated and tortured, forced to kill others for him to live, escaping only to be caught, scared for life (both psychologically and physically),  dying every minute just to live another... 

May be that is how life works for everyone, you might think. It is, yes. This is exactly how life works but the difference is in how we see life after that. And how we act and react to the changes that cannot be undone. May be that is what makes the Superheroes different from the rest. Here goes my life lessons from Green Arrow. 

You must die if you want to live.

And by death, I don't mean the actual death but an event that turns your life upside down, where you see your reality getting shattered into pieces right before your eyes and you have no one to blame but you. The moment when you experience an affliction that can't be undone. You are scared for life, scar that we all carry in one way or another. And many a times these scars carry the darkest secrets we could not say it out loud. You are to carry the scar along with the pain to your grave. But it is with this death, you resurrect. And you are left with the only two choices , to follow the same path or to make your own trail. 

Affliction leads to knowledge and focus.

Oliver's revelation of his family's privileged insights consolidated with the quick risk to his survival dives him into the single most prominent crises he has confronted in his life. Pretty much like every superhero origins, with great crises comes great opportunity. The fact that affliction, if endured well and sensibly, gives us the gift of clarity. When the majority of us chose the path that makes us forget the scar, it often eclipses our true calling in life. Oliver Queen, set his head straight to one place despite the goal making him suffocate through his scars. With the affliction and the new clarity, he chose to make his own trail. But what do we do? Will we allow the affliction to change us for good? Or will we stick to the same old patterns, afraid to accept the tragedy we went through? 

The dawning of clarity is just the beginning of a journey. You now know what to do, but the hardest part is "doing it". Even when you have found the light at the end of the tunnel, you cannot cherish it until you cross the tunnel. And to do that, you need your strength more than ever, because now you know what you want. Life always works in mysterious ways but mostly in a good way, to start a new path you will need more than just strength. You will need patience, just because you know where you want to go will not help you to reach the destination any sooner. Oliver had to endure the hell of experiences in the island for 5 years, without strength and patience he wouldn't have made it. 

Your past doesn't define you. 

Oliver has become an entirely different person when he comes out of the island, signifying that certain things and incidents changes you in ways that cannot be undone. But the hardest part is to come to terms with it. It is to accept the fact the we have lost a part of us and have gained few things as well, and we cannot expect the people to see the new us with the perception of our past self. If we cannot believe that we have the strength in us to reach heights we've never even dreamed about in the past, we cannot expect the people around us to encourage us. For strength is often found from within and the drive comes only if you are ready to let go of the strings from the past. 

A man's greatness can be measured by his enemies. 

When Oliver chose to become the Green Arrow, he knew that it wasn't going to be easy. He understands that he has to learn and train every single day to be prepared. It didn't matter how big or small his enemies are, it is his destiny to right the wrong of his father's and to save the city. Just as it happens, life will give you more powerful targets and enemies once you are determined of your destiny. Life won't just give you what you want just because you've endured the greatest misery, it was preparing you for this battle all along. For we are always stronger than our greatest enemy, it is upto us to either fight it by making us stronger or to run from it by giving up to it. 

Superheros has limits, especially the ones who chose to be one. Oliver has his own set slumps and slips even when he was at his best. He was forced to give up his billion-dollar empire, he was even made to consider giving up being the Green Arrow, but he knew well that it was his destiny. No human or a superhero can make their way to their destiny without failing at something. Because, life never stops giving you lessons and it will always want to make you stronger than before. Oliver has taught me that failing is inevitable but it is what comes after the failure that defines the person. He never lifted his finger to another person at the times he failed, because he knows that he is the only person responsible for his destiny. May be that is why, even after a string of victories he knows how life will unfold. It is by testing our limits can we move forward. Failure is always a step before victory. 

People who stand with you, matters the most. 

The one thing that was really fascinating about CW's "Green Arrow" is his relationships, let it be with Thea or Felicity or Diggle...it was never a straight line. It had its own ups and downs, may be that is how you will know the real strength of love other's have for you. It doesn't matter if you are a normal human or a super hero, one always needs people to believe in them, their dreams and their decisions. It gives us a strength that is beyond explaining. But relationships are always a two way road, we can't expect love unless it is there. That is why it is important to be aware of the relationships we have before we start to embark the journey towards our destiny. Our time and energy matters the most when you have a purpose right in front of you. 

PS:

I can go on and on about the things I have learned from this superhero, because I ended up at CW-Green Arrow when I was 19 years and it been 6 years since I have traveled with him. I cannot remember the exact number of times when I had run to watch Arrow in the hope of finding solutions to my problems. Green Arrow has been more than just a binge-watch for me. To know that Oliver Queen will be no more and there's no one that Barry can run to, to seek advice from is something I am still trying to come to terms with. Oliver Queen aka Green Arrow has not only been a great mentor to Barry Allen aka The Flash but also to me. I will cherish every moment of learning and fun I had with watching Green Arrow. 

Every time a superhero dies, they take with them a part of my childhood and innocence, I could never retrieve.