The Blind Side

“Do not confuse empathy with extrinsic charity. Empathy requires understanding, faith, and meeting someone right where they are, regardless of the length of the journey or the tier of the task. Never be afraid to dig deeper and follow your heart.”

– Me

I never really knew why I was so obsessed with this movie, but ever since I was a little girl, I was beyond intrigued every time it came on the TV.

So both fortunately and unfortunately, I’ve had a good amount of free time on my hands lately. I’ve been doing a lot of bible journaling, reflecting, spending time with my family, binge-watching Euphoria(actually an insanely interesting show tbh), organizing my life/staying productive, and the fun part, dreaming and planning for my future. Today, I was reminded of one of my favorite childhood movies and why the story has stuck with me for so long.

I think I admire it so much because I can relate it to my own life, but not in the typical way that you might think. Sometimes I act like Leigh Ann, sometimes I think like Micheal, sometimes people think I embody the characteristics of Collins, but most of the time, I just have the overwhelming energy of SJ. For those of you who haven’t seen it before, Micheal Oher didn’t come from much, but once he was adopted by the Tuohys, everyone’s lives changed.

lol this isn’t going to be a movie review or anything because I’ve seen it like a thousand times and could most likely recite over half of the script. However, I think this movie can be applied to everyone’s lives more than anyone ever thought it could, like ever.

In a way, their family reminds me of mine. My dad being a community involvement addict, my mom the dedicated Christian child counselor, my brother the overconfident people pleaser, and me, in the words of SJ, “you know, well, I do it all.” The Tuohy kids didn’t grow up with everything being given to them kinda like us, their parents raised them by showing them true love, perseverance, strength, and compassion. In another way, it honestly just pulls at the heartstrings. Most importantly, I think it speaks volumes about society’s barriers and how people are constantly trying to fit in a box and avoid those who deviate from their path. Truth is, no one is ever really going to understand each other if they never give it a chance. Leigh Ann didn’t care about the color of his skin, the history of his drug-addicted mother, or even the filthy neighborhood he was raised in. She decided to take him in because God was calling her heart to make a change when it mattered most.

Much like me, Leigh Ann and Coach Cotton didn’t view helping others who are less fortunate as an act of service, or for their actions to be frivolously rewarded, but because it makes us feel closer to God as we aid his creation and those who live in it.

Micheal didn’t really know what he was getting himself into, nor was he aware or even care. In fact, he was so kind and humble, so he would never hurt a soul, but protect those who cared for him, he was just thankful he had a warm place to sleep at night.

I think one of the most important messages from The Blind Side is that we all have a choice, many choices, actually. We are not defined by our past, our background, our upbringing, our relatives, or even those who raised us. It takes courage to be able to think for yourself and do what is best for you, despite the negative backlash that you might receive from those around you. As Leigh Ann told Micheal when they sat on the outside steps of the laundromat, “It’s your decision, Micheal, it’s your life,” which is very true because how are we ever really going to live life to the fullest if we feel like we’re stuck in a figurative box? Sometimes change is good, innovative, and often creates life-changing opportunities when we need them the most. Make your own decisions, think your own thoughts, live your own life, and be who you are meant to be, because remember, our lives were not created to be a competition, but rather an extravagant journey so we need to enjoy every second :))