Have you ever felt like you’re just going through the motions of life?
Like you’ve been playing it safe for so long that you’ve forgotten what truly lights you up inside?
That’s exactly what happened to Joe Gardner in Pixar’s “Soul.”
Joe was a guy who delayed following his passion because he took the “safe route” in life.
He became a middle school music teacher when what he really wanted was to be a jazz musician.
One day, he had this crushing realization – he hadn’t truly lived.
He had merely existed based on what society had imposed on him.
When he finally got his big break to play with a famous jazz quartet, something unexpected happened.
He died. Just like that, right when his life seemed to be beginning.
Joe found himself in the “Great Before” – a realm where souls get their personalities before heading to Earth.
He was filled with regret because he hadn’t truly lived the life he wanted.
Through a mix-up, Joe was assigned to mentor a soul named 22 – one of the most problematic souls in the Great Before.
22 had no interest in going to Earth and had frustrated countless historical mentors before Joe.
What started as Joe desperately trying to get back to his body became something much more meaningful.
Joe and 22 ended up helping each other in ways neither expected.
This beautiful dynamic proves we’re more interdependent than we often admit.
We need others on our journey of self-discovery, and there’s nothing wrong with that.
In fact, it can be incredibly insightful because sometimes others see things in us that we never noticed before.
When 22 accidentally ended up in Joe’s body on Earth, she started connecting with people in ways Joe never had.
There was this powerful moment with a barber who shared deep wisdom with 22-as-Joe.
When Joe asked why the barber never told him these things before, the response was heartbreaking: “You never asked.“
Joe realized he hadn’t been truly present with the people around him.
He could have had a completely different life all along if he’d just paid attention.
The film also showed us “lost souls” – terrifying, shadowy figures wandering the astral plane, causing havoc.
But here’s the powerful part – they weren’t always like that.
They became lost souls after being conditioned by our world’s impossible expectations and requirements.
Yet with the right help, they could be stripped of these burdens and become whole again.
This carries such a profound message: anyone can change their life at any given moment.
Despite becoming something we’re not proud of or living far from our values, purpose, and passions, we can turn things around.
We can make our lives count.
“Soul” reminds us that we shouldn’t postpone living – we should test our assumptions about what will make us happy.
Sometimes we have one idea of what will fulfill us, but reality shows us our purpose was something entirely different.
What matters is taking action, making decisions, and keeping moving forward.
It’s about truly living, not just existing.
So I ask you: Are you living up to your potential? Or are you barely scratching the surface?
Are you delaying your dreams for some “perfect moment” that might never come?
Life isn’t about finding your single “spark” – it’s about appreciating the whole journey.
It’s about being present enough to notice the simple joys: the taste of pizza, the sound of laughter, a perfect autumn leaf.
Maybe that’s the most important lesson from “Soul” – that life itself, in all its messy glory, is the purpose.
How would you rather live your life?
