Movies

This holiday break I have been able to view several movies. There are two that have been truly inspirational.

The Blind Side: What an inspiring movie. I am sure it will become a classic film. I was astonished by the amount of charity that the Tuohys' had towards a homeless 18 year old that came from a broken home. They trusted in their hearts, took in uneducated, tender hearted, stranger, and helped him fulfill his potential. Oher's presence in the Tuohys' lives leads them to some self-discoveries of their own. They realize that charity benefits them and changes their lives more than it does Oher.

Invictus: Another inspiring movie. The title of this movie comes from the poem Invictus. The word invictus means "unconquered" in Latin. The final two lines of the poem read, "I am the master of my fate. I am the captain of my soul.” Nelson Mandela had this poem written on a piece of paper he kept during his years in a South African prison. The words kept him going.

Nelson Mandela (Morgan Freeman) used his support of the Rugby team, as a way to mend the scars of the past and build toward a united nation. Despite his trials and challenges in life, he is positive, kind and caring. He forgives consequential persecution of 27 years in prison as well as many other indiscretions . Mandela is surprisingly heart-warming, and wants to be a friend to all. Among other things, I learned a lot about unity, kindness, positive attitude, and perseverance from this movie. The most important thing I learned was forgiveness. One of my favorite quotes from this movie is: "Forgiveness liberates the soul......that is why it is such a powerful weapon." Forgiveness not only changes the heart of a person, but it can (in Nelson Mandela's case) change a nation. As the poem reads, "I am the master of my fate. I am the captain of my soul." We have the choice to let forgiveness liberate our soul or imprison it.