Lessons in 8 Quotes from Doctor Strange
Quotes from Doctor Strange, fitting for RD
Recently I took my son Roo to see the 2016 Walt Disney movie Doctor Strange. Based on the Marvel Comics superhero, Doctor Stephen Strange is an uber-arrogant neurosurgeon who is psychologically crushed by losing the use of his hands in a horrific car accident. His journey to physical and emotional healing becomes his path to becoming the world’s greatest sorcerer.
I wanted to see the film because like many of my readers, I’ve traveled that journey, to be whole even though I’ve lost many of the things that defined me in the past. Obviously we do not (I think) end up great wizards like Dr. Strange (Benedict Cumberbatch, of Sherlock fame). But his poignant journey toward a new self-definition certainly draws me to the story.
Taking notes on quotes from Doctor Strange
We enjoyed the fun, action-filled – and humorous – show, but before long I pulled out my phone to jot down some favorite quotes. Don’t worry; I dimmed the screen very low so as not to annoy others. Actually, I often take notes during movies I love, trying to remember the best lessons and the reason I came to watch in the first place.
Sometimes it seems like the words were meant just for me. And this time they seemed like they were meant for you too. So here are 8 quotes from Doctor Strange that seem most fitting to living with a disability like rheumatoid disease (RD).
You might also like to read:
- Rosalind Russell: Rheumatoid Arthritis’ Most Glamorous Celebrity
- The Next Three Days: a Movie Review with a Twist
8 Quotes from Doctor Strange
- Mordo: “I once stood in your place. And I too was disrespectful. May I offer some advice? Forget everything you know.”
Everything is different now. Every single thing. You will need to start over.
- Dr. Strange: “I’m not ready.” Ancient One: “No one ever is. We don’t get to choose our time.”
You do not welcome this change, but you go on because you have no choice. As David wrote in a comment this week, it’s like he was mugged.
- Ancient One: “Arrogance and fear still keep you from learning the simplest and most significant lesson of all: It is not about you.”
Forget self pity and panic and pride. What will be your mission now?
- Mordo: “The bill comes due. Always.”
The truth will always come out. No one can defy fate or fool God. As some say “Karma is real.”
Dr. Strange: “I’m not ready.” Ancient One: “No one ever is. We don’t get to choose our time.” #rheum Click To Tweet- Dr. Strange: “I don’t know what my future holds. But I can’t go back.”
Going forward is the only option. It’s not about what you did before, but what you were meant to do in the future.
- Dr. Strange: “Life without my work…” Christine Palmer: “Is still life.”
Life is worth living. Period. No ifs, ands or buts.
- Dormammu: “You will suffer.” Dr. Strange: “Pain is an old friend.”
When pain becomes a constant companion, we come to accept it.
- Dormammu: “You will never win.” Dr. Strange: “No but I can lose again and again. And again. Forever.”
This is the life of a warrior. We win by continuing to fight. Forever.
What are your favorite quotes from Doctor Strange?
That last one was so much like RD that won’t. Go. Away. But I won’t spoil it for you by putting the details here. The movie is in the dollar theaters now and I saw the DVD on Amazon already so you can enjoy it thinking about being a warrior against RD.
And we can reflect on this for our own situations: Dr. Strange refused to give up when he was at first rejected for the mystical training he thought would cure him. He knew he had no other options left, so he refused to leave. What is one thing that we will not give up on because we know it is our destiny (no matter what our hands can do)?
DO ANY OF THESE SPEAK TO YOUR EXPERIENCE? WHICH QUOTE IS YOUR FAVORITE?
Recommended reading
- Arthritis Prescreening Like Minority Report
- The Pursuit of Happyness When Part of Your Life Is Called Rheumatoid Arthritis
- RA is Tricksy: Wandering by The Two Towers
I didn’t know Dr. Strange loses the use of his hands. I can relate to that as my hands definitely don’t work like they used to before RA and are only getting more misshapen. My boys love Marvel movies but we have not seen Dr. strange yet. Thanks for sharing these quotes,now I’m more likely to want to watch it!
Some days, I don’t want to fight anymore. And then I remind myself, to stop fighting is to die. That will come soon enough with the RD-Lung. For now, I’ll live, and I’ll fight. The quote about not being ready, I remember sitting in the car in the parking lot at Chic Fil-a, after my second rheumy appointment and getting the official diagnosis back in 2005, and thinking “boy….I never saw this one coming..” Blindsided. Suddenly, all my plans went out the window, with the left over chicken sandwich for the birds to eat. Someone told me recently, “if you want to make God smile, tell Him what your plan is” Aint it the truth.
well said Melissa. It was 2006 for me & I was completely shocked. I had suspected RD for a long time but they said they’d call if the tests showed anything. A month went by & they didn’t call. At the end of that 1 mo follow up, I asked for a copy of the labs – then I went home & googled ANTI CCP. the rest is history. life changed on a dime and now I knew why.
I know about losing my hands. I was a nurse-midwife. One day I almost dropped a baby because of the pain and awkwardness of my hands and wrists. I quit the nurse-midwifery service and went to work as a state nursing consultant with the GA department of health. I managed for 10 years, then went to teach nursing. After 3 years, I started my PhD. Thank goodness computers were available by that time. I wrote all my lesson plans on our computer, all my term papers, all my projects, and my entire dissertation. After graduation, I worked in an OR suite, managing the computers and the inventory. I was exhausted all the time, and finally quit to start my own business. Every change was dictated by my disease – the fatigue, my hands, my feet.
To this day I still miss midwifery. I loved caring for the mothers in pregnancy and labor and delivery. I loved delivering babies. I loved all the aspects of childbearing. And not being able to do that anymore is still a painful open wound…
Guess we’ll have to get the DVD of Dr. Strange.