Primal Fear

I just happen to see an old movie, Primal Fear. A 1996 film, starred by Richard Gear and Edward Norton, who was then I think just new in Hollywood. This two great actors really gave their best in terms of their acting. It was so fluid.

The story is about an altar boy, Aaron (Edward Norton), who goes into trial for a heinous crime of murdering an Archsbishop. The Archsbishop was murdered, received 78 stab wounds by use of a huge knife. Aaron was charge of murder because he was seen by the police running away from the crime scene, his clothes all covered with blood. The police made him the prime suspect since all the evidence are pointing against him. When the news broke out, he was publicly tried and made believe that he did the murder. Marty Vail (Richard Gere), a hotshot lawyer, who took the case, not because of money, but because he wants to prove that he can win an unwinnable case.

As Marty investigated the case, he was able to dig up a lot of unseemingly events that he himself was shocked. There was an involvement of a priest keeping a video tape of a sexual acts of an altar boys and a girl. There was also a case of multiple personality of the accused. There is also an involvement of a filthy rich land developer who was cut out of funds by the catholic church. Marty started to believe that the accused never did the crime. He believed that a boy who looks so innocent could not do such a crime because of his weakling personality. Then he discovered that the boy is sick. Aaron has a case of multiple personality. That there is another persona in him (and calls it Roy), who does all the opposite.

Every scene will make you think if Aaron is really innocent or not. The face of Norton helps further to give the viewing audience that he might not have done the crime. Not to mention, the character of Gere, who 100% believes that the boy is innocent.

In this movie, they showed that lawyers work on three things: facts, evidences and testimonies.

Somehow, it makes me feel bothered if all the trials made in the court room are really given proper justice. I just wonder if all the people who were accused of a crime where heard truthfully by the judges or the jury. Are they really presenting all evidences? Are they not hiding or manipulating the truth. Does the justice system really only hears and never sees the person accused? I know that it is really easy for people to judge other people. Regardless if its a good thing or a bad thing. Each time that I feel like judging someone, I'm always reminded by this:

"Matthew 7:1, "Judge not, that you will be not judged."

Stress Management

Stress is a condition or feeling experienced when a person perceives that “demands exceed the personal and social resources the individual is able to mobilize.” - Richard Lazarus

In short, its not only when there's something bad happen we automatically feel stress. When we feel stress our body responds to it. They increase heart rate and blood pressure, delivering more oxygen and blood sugar to power important muscles. Considering this factors, I can say that stress is not a normal thing. This is life threatening so we should be very careful about it.

So how do we manage stress? I can give you some tips about it, but you know yourselves more than I do. So what I will be sharing here may not be effective for you. You must know thyself in order to find a way to better manage your stress.

To manage your stress, here are the tips that I can give you. Prior to this, take a seat comfortably.

First stress tip: Long pause breathing.

This technique is done by those people who do yoga. In doing this, you provide enough oxygen to your brain. You provide your brain enough air to process your thinking. I believe that this relaxes your mind in thinking of reacting to a stressful situation. This will give you ample time to think logically of what should be the next step you should do.

To help you further with this, close your eyes. You should close your eyes so that you will not see the environment that caused you stress. Better yet, think that you are in a vacation place you are dreaming of.

Second stress tip: Relax

Once you are done with the long pause breathing, you will find your body in a relax state. You are suppose to be thinking one step at a time. You should be now thinking logically for your next move.

Third stress tip: Just be with yourself

Do not grab anyone to be with you in order to manage your stress. Remember you know yourself more than anyone else. You will have a proper way to think because you alone have to answer to what you are experiencing.

Fourth stress tip: Think maturely

If you need to take action, think what will be the outcome of it. You should think things that you need to gain something not lose something. You logically follow certain rules in order for you to still stay in the game otherwise in losing your temper, you will only lose yourself.

Fifth stress tip: There is always a solution

There is no problem that's been encountered with no solution at all. Sometimes solutions may come in a while, but still there is a solution to it. Think deep. Create a temporary and permanent solution.

In creating a temporary solution, you should be able to solve the things that stresses you at that very moment. Once you have thought of a temporary solution, you should be able to draw in it permanent solution.

These are just five tips I can share to you. Like what I have said, you know yourself better than anyone else. You know what are the things you must do in order for you to calm yourself and have a logical and mature thinking.

Manage stress by being a mature individual. Do not react instantaneously because you will hurt more of yourself rather than the one who caused you stress.