Alive

This week I sent for the DVD of Alive via Netflix.  I know that most people that are into being outdoors know of, have seen the movie, or read the story about the rugby team stranded in the Andes Mountains for over two months. 
For those that haven't seen it here is a brief review of the story:  A small plane full of people, 45 all together, crashed high in the Andes Mountains in the middle of winter.  The pilots and many passengers die during the accident, but a few survive.  For days and days they live off of small rations of wine and chocolate.  When these rations are eaten prematurely and food runs out people start to get weak and die.  The remaining survivors stay alive by eating the meat from the dead bodies of their friends and family members.  After months of this a few, of the remaining 16 survivors. decide to hike out of the mountains into Chile were they find help and come back for the others.  I recommend that you see this film, it is in my top 10 for survival films.  (check out my list of favorites on the right column)
So why, if so many people have seen it, am I bringing up this film now?  Well, the reason for the survival of 16 people came from the will and drive of a few.  Most experts will tell you that the will to live keeps people alive.  There are countless stories of people without out skill, knowledge, or gear staying alive against all odds solely because they wanted to keep living.  In the story of Alive (or at least how it is portrayed in the film) most of those that survived the plane crash had injuries that affected their mind or body.  A few of these were able to stay strong enough in mind to keep the others alive on small rations, and lets be honest, very crude survival skills.  There was only one of the 16 remaining at the end of the story that had enough drive to make it out of the mountains, knowing that know one would ever just happen upon them.
After watching the movie again I was more impressed than ever that the will and drive of a few was able to keep so many alive.  There were those that died from physical injury that had the mental capacities to get them through, but their bodies failed them.  We should always be testing our mental fortitude for any situation.  There are times in our normal lives, let a lone the rare survival situation, that can be improved by higher mental control.