Movies Remind Me

I have been reconnecting with my social justice self in the last few days. It sounds silly, but I have been watching old movies since I'm sick of all the reruns and worthless stuff on the tube right now.

I have been bouncing around watching a variety of things, but a couple of weeks ago, I touched off on a tangent.  I watched a movie called "Wild Flower" starring Patricia Arquette and Reese Witherspoon. It was the first time I had ever seen  Arquette and I don't remember if Witherspoon was known then or not...It was a sort of "Lifetime" movie from a YA novel I had read by Sara Flanigan. She wrote another favorite of mine called "Sudie and Simpson" and hasn't written anything else since (that I can find).This particular movie took place in the south and was about a young girl (Witherspoon) who finds a girl locked up in a shed in the neighboring farm (probably in the 1930s?).  The girl had epilepsy and was hard of hearing and the movie shows the progress as she receives help. Sounds hokey - probably is, but I liked it, anyway.

I watched "A Time To Kill" and "The Rainmaker" both based on John Grisham novels.  "Lean On Me" and "Defiance" are next on the list, then a whole host of other movies (suggestions welcome). I was looking for movies that I haven't seen in a long time as I tend to watch the same old standbys over and over, but I worry that I will get sick of them and then what will I do?

I think maybe the term social justice isn't quite right - but I have just been thinking about "MORE" - there is more to do, there are important jobs, tasks, fights. I don't know where I fit into that, but I find a sense of comfort knowing that there are important causes in the world. Some of them, I can take on and be involved and sometimes all I can do is watch a movie and feel the reminder that we all have the power to be kinder, to stand up and do the right thing, to help someone in need, to care. My sphere of influence (thank you, Stephen Covey) might be small, but it is all I've got. I'll take it and do what I can...

Ah, I'm rambling. Sorry. Off to bed.