Draft's Picks

Hope W. - "The Blind Side" Miami

Many people aren't blessed to see a movie that can touch their heart on the spot; if they do, most likely it's not a non-fictional story. Michael Oher's life story through the movie, The Blind Side, has that kind of effect. I personally hadn't seen the movie before and watching it through A Discussion and A Movie allowed me to learn and remember a lot of life lessons that aren't always emphasized throughout my generation. Small things like being kind to all whom you come in contact with, not giving up, or being appreciative are messages that this movie screamed out to me personally. This movie even expressed the fact that just because people do nice deeds, doesn't mean that they always have cruel or negative intentions behind them. It had an impact on me because Michael had such a hard life, that most people wouldn't have wanted to deal with, but that didn't keep him from being kind, appreciative and humble.

This movie has caused me to realize that when you're blessed with something, you should use that blessing to help others that need it. Leigh Anne Tuohy had a well-off life with a beautiful house and a place to stay, yet became considerate enough to try to give Michael a place to sleep instead of allowing him to walk out in the cold. She did this with no hesitation and didn't just say, "That's unfortunate that he's walking out there in the cold like that," and just continue to drive off, I can speak for Miami since I was born and raised here, but down here your mindset is programmed to believe that: if someone tries to approach you in that sort of manner, then they are secretly trying to harm you or get something out of you. Yet Leigh Anne threw all those perceptions out while she began constantly helping someone, that didn't even ask for it. That shocked me because nowadays it's a dog-eat-dog  world, and most people don't care about you or your situation. They just feel that you have to grow up and make it on your own because no one is going to help you. But as this movie displayed that's not always the case, and it brought back the reality that there are people in the world that truly care about others and their situations. That part of the movie had the biggest impact on me.

All it took was A Discussion and A Movie to show me so many valuable, valid life lessons from another person's life to inspire so many others. Michael and his "new family" did abnormal tasks, which to about 80 percent of society, seems strange. I'm glad that watching this movie has touched my heart in ways that will keep me successful and motivated to never give up and help others.