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There has been one further element to Man vs. Wild’s success, and that is its underlying message. I believe it is actually the biggest factor.
If you think about it, at heart, there is such a strong link between survival and life. I mean, we are all in a battle of some sort, aren’t we?
Surviving.
It feels like day by day sometimes.
But talent, skill, and luck are only a part of what carries people through.
A small part.
There is a bigger element that separates the real survivors. It is heart, hope, and doggedness. Those are the qualities that really matter.
Ditto in life.
A young kid came up to me in the street a few days ago. He looked me square in the eye and asked me: “If you could tell me one survival message, what would it be?”
I thought about it for a moment. I wanted to give him a decent answer.
Then I saw it very clearly.
“Smile when it’s raining, and when you’re going through hell--keep going.”
The boy thought for a moment.
Then he looked up at me and said: “It rains a lot where I live.”
We all know the feeling.
Maybe he’ll remember the message one day--when he really needs it.
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