The Blind Side

JT and I watched The Blind Side with Marisol yesterday (HAPPY BIRTHDAY MARISOL!!!). It was an awesome movie. While a lot of people are talking about how inspiring it is though, I have to wonder: Would you really take in a stranger and let him live with you? A ton of people who've watched the movie say they want to help out, do good things for others, but how many are really taking action?

While I'm happy that at least 1 out of 20 or so people are probably truly doing something to help others because of this movie I can't help but think what about the other 10-15 that said it moved them enough to take action? Are they just lazy or did the euphoria of helping out wear off? Here's what bugs me: people who talk the talk but can't walk the walk. People who complain about their job when they should be thankful they have a job in these turbulent times. People who stereotype others based on race or education or geography without bothering to immerse themselves and find out what the people are really like. Am I clean of all these? Nope, I've done them all. And sometimes I still do. But I'm taking action against these things by being conscious of my words and actions.

Now here's the deal. The movie portrayed a very rich family taking in a boy who was pretty much thrown away by the system. In fact, Marisol and I were talking about how realistic it would be to take in another kid for the majority of Americans since most of us do not make millions of dollars a year. But I don't think that was the point of the movie. I think what it was trying to say is that there are people out there who can truly succeed in life if someone just gives them a chance and lends a hand. You don't have to give an empty room to a stranger or hire a private tutor or pay their entire tuition to an expensive school. All you have to do is offer a meal every now and then, offer to help with homework once a week or babysitting services so he/she can go job hunting, provide a ride home when the day is over if the bus system is bad, little things like that. It may not seem like a huge thing to you but to that person who is down on their luck right now (and there are plenty of them) it could mean the difference between going to bed hungry or going to bed grateful.

So please, don't go watching movies and then saying you're going to do what they did and blah blah blah. Unless you truly mean it and you truly want to commit to adopting a child or provide clothing for someone for the next year or so it's just painful to hear those words come out of your mouth. Instead say things like, "I think I want to try volunteering at the soup kitchen now" or "I'm pretty good at math. I think I'll ask the school if I can help tutor a kid who needs help." Then go out and DO IT! These smaller tasks are just as important, but far more managable. And odds are you're likely to stick with it.

But if you can take in someone you know who needs help by all means go for it! You're probably changing their life in ways you never could've imagined.