LIVE, LEARN, & LOVE
Do you take delight in watching films,
listening to pop music, or reading books? For English learners, movies, songs,
and books are one of the most wonderful sources to explore the language! You
can indulge in your favorite pastime and still learn some expressions, words of
wisdom, and oftentimes good lessons while you’re at it.
#66. The Drift (film, 2026)
Emily, a
competitive figure skater, wakes up stranded on a small drifting ice floe in
the Arctic after a remote training trip goes wrong. With only a few supplies, a
handful of nuts, a damaged phone, and her sister’s ashes, she must rely on her
survival skills as rescue efforts fade and the harsh conditions take their
toll.
(Emily
happens to connect with a call center guy on her damaged cellphone): “Can I ask
you something? Have you ever think about death? If someone's out here, they're
not making it easy. Strong winds and snowfall have obscured any tracks. Help!
Help! No, no, no, don't hang up. Send somebody to help me. I am begging you.”
ð At
this point in the story, Emily is stranded alone on a drifting ice floe in the
Arctic Ocean. Her situation is becoming increasingly dire as the ice beneath
her continues to melt, while her damaged phone is running out of battery. By unbelievable
chance, she reaches Harry, a customer service representative working for an
air-conditioning company, and begins talking with him as a way to stay
connected to another human being. When Emily asks whether he ever thinks about
death, the question comes from more than simple curiosity. Facing the
possibility of dying in the frozen wilderness, she is confronting her own
mortality and the growing realization that rescue may never arrive. Her remark,
“If someone is out here, they’re not making it easy…,” reflects both the harsh,
unforgiving nature of the Arctic and her mounting frustration that help seems
distant, uncertain, and increasingly unlikely to reach her in time.
(Emily said): “The ice doesn't care if you're a champion. The cold
doesn't care if you're brave.”
ð Emily
realizes that she cannot change the reality of her situation. The ice beneath
her is gradually melting, and she is completely alone. By accepting what she
cannot control, she conserves precious mental and emotional energy that would
otherwise be wasted on panic.
Survival demands complete attention to the moment at hand. Dwelling on
the future brings hopelessness, while looking back encourages regret. Emily
learns that her best chance of survival lies in focusing entirely on what she
can do right now.
Remaining calm is not only a psychological advantage but also a physical necessity. In extreme cold, panic can be deadly because it increases heart rate and promotes sweating, which accelerates heat loss and eventually raises the risk of hypothermia. Emily’s mindset becomes a survival strategy, helping her stay composed and conserve energy. This perspective ultimately becomes one of her greatest strengths, allowing her to endure conditions that might otherwise overwhelm her both mentally and physically.
**Jean’s
Small Thoughts:
Films that depict a person struggling to survive an
unimaginable disaster are never easy to watch. What makes stories like this so
unsettling is not only the overwhelming danger the character faces, but also
the realization that most of us do not know how we would react in such
circumstances. When confronted with the unknown, staying calm and holding
ourselves together can be far more difficult than we imagine.
At a certain point in the film, Emily reaches an
unexpected state of freedom. Stripped of everyday pressures, obligations, and
expectations, she is left with a single objective: to stay alive. Surrounded by
the vast emptiness of the Arctic, life is reduced to its most basic essentials,
bringing with it a rare sense of clarity and purpose.
Watching Emily navigate her fear, anxiety, frustration,
acceptance, and determination reminds me of learning to swim as a child. I was
terrified of deep water. My body would become tense and rigid, and I depended
completely on an inflatable tube to keep me afloat. My father once told me,
“The more force you put into your body, the harder it is to stay afloat. The
moment you relax, the water will support you.”
His words have stayed with me ever since. Whenever I feel
anxious or overwhelmed, I think about that lesson. Like Emily, I try to focus
on the present moment rather than getting trapped in regrets about the past or
worries about the future. Sometimes, simply staying grounded in the here and
now is enough to carry us through another day. But I am still afraid of the open waters filled with a lot of the unknown. How has your daily struggle or fight against harsh reality been going?
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