It's the last day and I couldn't leave Wonder off my list! The book was a huge deal in the craniofacial community. I read it, met the author, got to see a few staged readings, and have blue #choosekind bracelets all over my apartment. Several of the actors, including Jacob, came to CCA retreats to meet some "real life Auggies" before filming the movie, but had so much fun doing "research" that they keep coming back just to hang out. The movie was going to be a big deal for our community no matter what, but when it finally came out, it was so exciting to see it actually do well and know that tons of kids across the country saw it! It's a sweet story that accurately captures some of the highs and lows of being a kid with a facial (or any kind of obvious physical) difference. My mom, who is so much like the Julia Roberts character, cried through the whole thing and then couldn't sleep that night because she couldn't stop thinking about our real life and how authentically it was reflected in the movie.
This movie is not just for our bubble though, the true target audience is kids who know or might someday meet someone who is different from them in any way. By the grace of God, I always had more friends than bullies and am so grateful for it because I know that, unfortunately, that isn't everyone's experience. Even though I consider myself lucky to have had such good friends, I don't think of them as martyrs who sacrificed their time on poor me as some act of charity. I think they were simply wise enough to realize that having a unique face wouldn't preclude me (or anyone) from being a good friend. That wisdom is what made them truly wonderful people, and is what I hope every kid absorbs from this movie!
Thank you for joining me on this movie challenge journey and reading my long self-indulgent explanations!
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