The Academy Award goes to…

I have a fickle relationship with Hollywood. On one hand I’m fascinated by the glamour and excitement it offers; on the other hand, it appears the “movie star” lifestyle is insecure and imbalanced, resulting in broken lives tainted with superficiality.

Funny then, that my “take away” from the Academy Award show was one of moral substance.  How refreshing it was to hear the winner of the whole sha-bang, Ben Affleck, acknowledge his Hollywood career as having taught him that he “can’t hold grudges,” and that when life knocks you down, “all that matters is that you gotta get up.”  WOW!  His humble comments reminded me: simple life lessons hold a significant place in our lives.

As a parent, I teach lessons like forgiveness, humility, and perseverance all day long and typically, I don’t look to the movie industry to serve as my model.  But tonight, as we gather around the dinner table, I’ll have a Hollywood story to share with my kids whose bedtime on Sunday arrived before Mr. Affleck’s award.  I’ll point to an individual who’s had his fair share of ups and downs in an unpredictable industry, someone who persevered to overcome the odds against him and who won, literally, as well as on a deeper level.  His real win, the recognition that forgiveness and perseverance are essential in life and his determination to practice them, allowed us to see his true character...an individual of substance, rather than simply someone with the prestigious title of director or movie star. The qualities Mr. Affleck revealed will take him far beyond popularity and fame.

Sounds like a happy ending to me!

"I think that you are defined by how you rise more than how you fall." -Ben Affleck[/caption]