Happy Little Trees

Movie 1
If you have not seen Madea’s Family Reunion written by Tyler Perry, you need to watch it. Okay, it does have some cheesy smooth jazz music sometimes in the background, and perhaps a character in drag that is not Tootsie doesn’t promote an Oscar worthy performance, but I really enjoyed the movie and took a lot from it to apply to my life. I spent a lot of time laughing and crying—which I think are the two deepest emotions that a good movie can produce. One of my favorite lines from Madea, the grandmother character, is when she’s trying to seem tough, she yells out, “I shot Tupac!”

Watch this movie. It’s funny and has a good message.


Movie 2
Another movie scene that keeps running through my head is from Life is Beautiful. I recently saw the movie on cable again after not seeing it for several years, and I remembered some things about it that touched me. In one scene, Roberto Benigni’s character has been selected by a physician to serve as a waiter for the Nazi leaders while in the concentration camp. His character, Guido, is hopeful the doctor will remember their relationship from before (they used to be casual acquaintances and share riddles) will have compassion for him and his family and help them get out of the concentration camp. Finally a time occurs when they can speak. Guido and the doctor pretend to be casually working and standing at the bar area. They exchange some casual conversation. Guido informs the doctor that his family is with him. The doctor says he has something important to tell Guido. Then, the doctor shares his important news, which is only a riddle. Guido’s expression is hard to watch because his hopes are instantly crushed realizing instantly how this man views him.


That scene keeps replaying in my mind as I think about how sometimes I approach people with my own agenda. I’m quick to speak, but slow to listen. I forget to have compassion on their situation because I am overly concerned about my own. And I might be in a position to help that person, but my own hyper focus on the riddles in my head prevent me from seeing the need.


Text message episode of the week

I was trying to encourage someone in a text message and wrote a message with a small typo: “See. God can work big thongs in our hearts and change the way our mind thinks.”