Near the end of his ordeal as portrayed in Boyle’s film 127 Hours, Aron Ralston, after cutting off his arm to free himself, turns to the boulder that has trapped him for the last 5 days, snaps a photo and says, “Thank you.”
While it could be argued that the film reinforces the sentiment that “What doesn’t kill you makes you stranger,” I think that Ralston, Boyle and co. have a different lesson in mind: “What makes you realize your weakness and dependence is better than strength any day.”
Ford Seeuws 