Perhaps you have simply forgotten.
You might be too young to remember.
Philippe Petit walked on a tightrope secretly stretched between the tops of the World Trade Towers on August 7, 1974. Forty years ago today, he was a "man on wire."
Truth Or Fact?
At times, I wonder about truth that cannot be proven as fact, such as love.
This is the opposite. The crossing of Philippe Petit is a case of fact that cannot be believed as truth.
The facts are well established, though they remain completely unbelievable. Seeing is still not believing.
The Towers Loomed (And Loom Still)
When we think of the World Trade Towers, we quickly think of their destruction on September 11, 2001.
But, before 9/11, there was Philippe Petit.
Years ago, my friend Steve said, "Petit used his passion to artistically tear the Towers down." While there is no comparison between Petit and the 9/11 terrorists, Steve's right: Petit brought the Towers down to a human scale.
And now, by remembering his feat on the wire, we can rebuild the legend of the Towers.
You Can See What Happened
Few documentaries are worthy of the big screen, but this one is: MAN ON WIRE, an award winner at the 2008 Sundance Film Festival.
I cried during this movie, touched by the passion and daring of Philippe and his team.
As Carol, a reader of Net Cotton Content, commented (when I ran much of this post back in 2008), Petit doesn't come across as especially likable. I agree. He comes across as determined, talented, stubborn, selfish, fully committed to his art.
Here's the trailer:
Living An Engaged Life
As Petit teaches: "Life should be lived on the edge. See every day as a true challenge and then you live your life on a tightrope."