In this clip from the movie “Up,” we see Carl climb into the house at the end of the movie. He has fulfilled his promise to his deceased wife, Ellie, by parking the building right next to a beautiful fall in South America. But he has been so obsessed with getting the house to this location that he has been blinded to the meaning of his promise, which was not to move the house, but to have an adventure.
His legalism led him to do some very mean things, including to reject the friendship of a boy in need of a father figure.
As he sits in his chair he thumbs through a scrapbook Ellie gave to him on her deathbed. He’s attempted to go through the book before, but stopped at “Stuff I’m Going to Do,” because in some ways Carl feels like he failed his wife, preventing her from having the adventure she always craved. In this tender scene, he discovers how wrong he was.
As you look at your life now, what legalistic things might be blinding you?
Spilled Coffee on Ancient Scrolls 