Why am I drawn to Top Gun?

I recently watched Top Gun again.

The intensity of fighter jets soaring through the sky.
The surge of excitement the moment the music starts.
Tom Cruise's overwhelming presence.

Of course, those things alone make it a cool enough movie.

But I felt that the reason I am drawn to this work is not just that.

What I was most drawn to was the way Maverick lives his life.

He is not someone who acts only based on established rules or the opinions of those around him.

He is a bit reckless, clumsy, and can be difficult to handle within an organization.

Even so, he rarely lets go of his own instincts and beliefs.

While I feel at ease walking the same path as everyone else, I sometimes find myself stopping and wondering, 'Is it really okay to keep going like this?'

I know it would surely be easier to live by conforming to those around me.

Even though I know that, continuing down a path that doesn't move my heart feels somehow unsettling.

That is why I think I am drawn to Maverick's 'freedom'.

However, his appeal is not just about being free.

He may look tough, but deep down, he truly carries the pain and hesitation of his past.

Even so, in critical moments, he steps forward for his comrades.

He chooses to help the person in front of him rather than worrying about how he is perceived.

There is a kindness there that goes beyond just being cool.

I have always been drawn to people who can be kind while knowing their own wounds and weaknesses, rather than just those who are strong.

Not someone without weaknesses, but someone who can take a step forward when it counts, even while carrying those weaknesses.

Perhaps I consider such people to be strong in the true sense of the word.

Maverick is not a perfect human being.

He gets lost many times, loses things, and blames himself, yet he continues to fly.

I am sure the reason I am drawn to Top Gun is that I see the 'person I want to be' in that figure.

To be honest with my own heart rather than worrying about what others think.
To have the strength to protect the people who are important to me.
To move in the direction I believe in, even while holding onto fear.

I, too, want to become someone who can choose my life based on my own instincts, rather than the correct answers decided by someone else.

Even if I cannot fly through the sky, I want to be the one who firmly holds the steering wheel of my own life.