I recently watched the movie Wonder and let me tell you, I BAWLED! I hate to admit how emotional I am at movies but it’s true. I just get so attached to the characters and I get so empathetic about how they feel and what their going through. My nephew is in the fifth grade and his class read the book and went to see the movie. My nephew seemed to really enjoy it but I believe it holds such an important message for those young minds. It’s so important to be kind to one another. I can remember feeling bullied or picked on when I was younger and it’s stuff like that, that sticks with your through school and has long term damage on your self esteem even throughout your teen years. But it’s about more than just being kind, sometimes it’s more about reaching out but doing so without singling out an individual. You should always treat people with the same respect as you would others. I know there are people out there who are just cruel and treat everyone equally as bad which isn’t okay but that’s just how some people are. This movie shows the importance of standing up for people and being a friend when they need one and that’s so detrimental especially to new kids.

     My mother was checking out of a store the other day and the lady checking her out asked her if she was my mother (she proudly claimed me) and the woman proceed to tell my mom how much of a good person I was and how when she moved her in the second grade I was one of the first people who became friends with her and how much of a lasting impact I made in her life. Now I don’t know if i’ve ever expressed this but I have a horrible memory when it comes to my childhood. I’ll remember somethings but not everything and when my mom told me that it really threw me off because I remember her being new but back then making friend’s were so easy. I probably just walked up to her and spoke to her without even thinking. I never imagined that made that kind of change in someone’s life but I’m glad it did.

       As a mother of a little girl who’s starting school next year, I felt for the mother. My daughter doesn’t have any congenital disease or abnormality but I see so many kids being so judgmental and cruel to each other in real life and it just makes me nervous. I don’t want my daughter to be bullied for anything and I don’t want anyone to ever dull her sparkle. She has such a kind spirit and happy soul. I know I can’t protect her from the real world but I sure wish I could. All I know to do is to raise her the best way that I can and teach her to be a good friend. She already has what it takes. I just hope her unconditional love and positivity outshines and she changes the lives of individuals in ways that make an impact on them forever.