You’ve Been Down That Road
Those of you who know me well, know that I love the Matrix. It is by far my favorite movie. In fact, I have done almost 100 podcast episodes and I would say that I have mentioned the Matrix in at least half of those episodes. This is because it's more than just a movie, it is a prophetic documentary (or docufiction) about the world we are living in today.
Not to mention the story is a true hero's journey. It’s about waking up, seeking truth, stepping into the unknown, and becoming a better version of yourself. And honestly there is no greater message than that!
Speaking of stepping into the unknown, there is a scene from the Matrix that I have never talked about. Actually almost no one ever talks about it.
It’s a subtle but powerful scene that only resonates with a select few. Which is probably why this scene is so underrated.
If you are content and satisfied with your life, then you will probably have a hard time relating to this scene.
However, if you are someone who feels an almost overwhelming calling to discover your purpose and potential, then this scene will likely speak to you on a deep and meaningful level.
Ok so the scene takes place near the beginning of the movie. Neo has just agreed to meet with Morpheus.
This is a pivotal time in Neo’s journey. He has just received his “call to adventure”.
But as we all know, there is a big difference between receiving that call and actually answering that call..And most people have a long list of unanswered calls.
Anyway, that’s what Neo is doing, he is answering his call to adventure….
The scene takes place at night with extremely heavy rainfall giving it that dark and eerie feeling. Neo is alone under a bridge nervously waiting to be picked up… A car pulls up and the back door swings open and Trinity tells Neo to “get in”.
As soon as Neo steps in the car it drives away. Not a second later Switch (the passenger) turns around and points a gun at Neo. Neo is both confused and freaked out when Switch then tells Neo to take off his shirt.
To which Neo nervously replies, “what?”.
The car then immediately stops and Switch tells Neo, “we don’t have time for this, it's our way or the highway”.
Neo takes a second to think about his options and then opens the door to get out.
As he is about to step out of the car.
Trinity says: Please Neo, you have to trust me!
Neo: Why?
Trinity: Because you have been down there Neo… You know that road, you know exactly where it ends, and I know that’s not where you want to be.
As Trinity is saying this the scene cuts to a road that looks dark, uninspiring, empty, repetitive and even a little scary. It's definitely a road you wouldn't want to walk down.
Neo looks at that road, weighs his options for a second and realizes that Trinity is right, he's been down that road way too many times...So he shuts the door and they drive off to see Morpheus.
BOOM! Such a powerful scene! Right?!?!
You can watch the scene here if you want.
This scene is powerful because we can all agree that leaving our comfort zone, taking a leap of faith and exploring the unknown is absolutely terrifying. However, for some of us, the fear of the unknown is nothing compared to the fear of the known. For some of us, nothing is scarier than the thought of continuing to walk down the same road over and over and over again...
So if this scene resonates with you maybe it’s time to finally answer that call and try something different. Maybe it's time to take a different road...