Monday, January 2, 2012

Apparantly Surfing Movies Make Me Cry


The first day of 2012 went fairly well. I woke up at the crack of dawn to be to church by 8:30. (1 week down, only 51 to go) I embarrassed myself by sleeping through the second half of the first hour like I knew I would, and then I spent the last two hours chasing around five toddlers as opposed to 17, which was, needless to say, fabulous. Then I came home and took a nap for a length of time that I am neither proud of or going to disclose. (New Year's Resolution #4: Sleep less = FAIL) I woke up to the smell of frozen lasagna baking in the oven that my amazing husband threw in for me so I didn't have to wake up (even though I was weeeeeell past the time that I should have) and had a yummy family dinner, after which we decided to watch Soul Surfer, which Macy got for Christmas.

This is where my day took a bizarre turn. I had heard that the movie was good. Really good. Clean, feel-good, inspiring. What I wasn't told was that it would inexplicably become the third movie I would ever cry during. Literally. The third. And I didn't just well up and squeeze out a tear or two. I cried. And cried and cried and cried. And when I wasn't actually crying my eyes were burning, tears hovering on the brink just waiting for the next emotional moment to send them over the edge. And then I was crying some more. I have no idea why. There was just something about this girl, experiencing one of the most tragic, horrific things imaginable (getting her arm bit off by a shark, for those of you who don't know what Soul Surfer is about) and just going back out there, trying her hardest to continue to do what she loved most in the world. Now, I know there are 6, 394 other "don't give up" movies out there with the exact same message, and, if I'm being honest, I usually can't stand them. I find them incredibly cheesy and I hate being made to feel emotional. (Don't tug at these heartstrings, they are un-tugable.) But when this girl's arm disappeared down a shark's throat and she's paddling one-armed to shore in shock, she's muttering a prayer, over and over. And something about that--her faith--hit me hard, and for the rest of the dang movie, I was a blubbering mess.

I want that kind of faith. I want to know that if I'm ever out surfing and a shark attacks me and rips off my arm (highly probable), that instead of screaming my head off and thrashing around, I pray. She was such an example to me. If you haven't seen this movie, see it. Besides the message of faith, it also stresses family togetherness, positivity, service, and forgiveness. Seriously, I can't say enough good things about it. Oh, and as a bonus, it takes place in Kauai, Hawaii, where Bill and I will be in June!!! So excited.

Now the day is over but thanks to my lengthy nap, I'm on the opposite side of the world from tired. Thank goodness for iPhone games.

Day 1, 2012: success.

2 comments:

NaDell said...

I can't remember now which other two movies made you cry (or maybe you didn't divulge that information...), but I too had my own little cry tonight while we watched "17 Miracles" as a family. Try as I might to not be the sappy, sobbing mommy, I kind of was. It's those FAITH filled moments in movies like this that tug just right and make the tears flow. I was just glad I had a good blanket to wipe the tears away. (I loved "Soul Surfer" too!

Shayla said...

Haven't seen Soul Surfer yet, I'll put it on my list of movies to see when I feel like having a good cry. Okay, completely jealous that you're going to Hawaii in June. Someday...someday... Love the sleep less = FAIL resolution. Sleeping is something that we will not mess with in our house. I sleep, therefore, I am. Or something like that. ;)