The Tiger in My Life of Pi
How faith carried me through survival
MY FAITH JOURNEY IN NYC
7/2/20262 min read
There was a season in New York when I often thought about the movie Life of Pi.
If you've seen it, you'll remember that Pi survives on a lifeboat with a tiger named Richard Parker. The tiger is terrifying, demanding, and constantly forces Pi to stay alert. Yet without the tiger, Pi might not have survived. The tiger gave him a reason to keep fighting, to stay focused, and to live.
As I reflected on my own journey, I realized my "tiger" wasn't an animal.
It was my school.
Sometimes it was the pressure of teaching. Sometimes it was difficult situations with students. Sometimes it was challenging conversations with parents. Whatever form it took, it constantly pushed me beyond what I thought I could handle.
There were days I wondered why God had placed me there.
Looking back, I see something different.
Those experiences shaped my faith, strengthened my character, and taught me to depend on God in ways comfort never could. Like Pi, I wasn't simply trying to get through each day—I was learning how to survive with courage, perseverance, and hope.
One scene has always stayed with me.
When the tiger finally reaches land, he walks into the forest without looking back. No goodbye. No acknowledgment. Pi is heartbroken because the tiger is the only one who truly knows everything he endured.
I understand that feeling.
There are seasons in teaching when the people who witnessed your hardest battles never thank you, never recognize your sacrifices, and never know what it cost you to keep showing up each day.
Not every story ends with applause. Not every sacrifice is recognized by the people who were part of it. Sometimes the only One who fully knows the battles you've fought is God.
And perhaps that is enough.
Looking back, I no longer see the tiger only as something to survive. I see it as part of God's refining work in my life. Without those difficult years, I would not have discovered the resilience, faith, and purpose that now shape who I am.
The tiger never said goodbye.
But God never left the boat.