I Did My Side...

     I went to see the movie Courageous today and I was surprised at how emotionally exciting it was. When I saw the previews for it I was thinking "it might be an alright movie to see, once it comes out on DVD, but I don't think I want to spend nearly $10 to see it in theaters." When a group of friends invited me along to watch it, with the added attraction of $4 tickets, I figured "why not, it'll be an excuse to get some social time in and watch a movie that I want to see eventually anyway."


     It met and exceeded my expectations of a motivational movie, that's for sure! I thought I knew the general idea of the movie, that it was about some guys who wanted to be better fathers. I didn't think it was going to go to the extreme of a child dying, "gun fights," gang issues and drug problems, but it did. It went in-depth into the problem of fathers being terrible influences in their childrens' lives and even discouraging the children from growing up to be better parents to their children. 


     The movie itself wasn't a prize-winning Hollywood production, but it was a quality movie. I'm not a parent, and I'll never be a father, but I hope to be a mother eventually and this movie definitely challenged me to think about where I'm coming from. Am I going to properly raise my child, care for their needs, love them, give them a hug when they're crying, be there for whatever they need whenever they need it? Courageous brought to the viewer's attention something that has been pushed to the back burner in the last few decades, and that is the crucial importance to never let your kids down!


     One of the main father actors in the movie regretted that he didn't dance with his daughter when she pleaded with him to do so to her favorite song. She then proceeded on demonstrating to him what his part was and how he should hold his hands, put his feet, and move his body. He stubbornly chose not to dance with her because they were in a public place and he was too worried about embarrassment. Later, the little girl is killed in a car accident. The father pleads for a reason as to why she died, agonizes over the times he won't be able to spend with her, times like her graduation and walking her down the aisle to her groom. But then, through a series of events, he comes to realize that it's more important to be glad for the time you have rather than regret over the time that you don't have. Think back on the joy and love you shared rather than "what might have been." 


     Later, the father goes back to that same park, puts a CD into his truck radio and plays the song that his daughter had danced do. He then gets out of the truck and begins to dance with his daughter, only she's not there. Before the scene closes, there is a heart touching moment when he looks up to the sky and says "Can you tell her that I did my side?"

     The father was willing to give up the unknown future and take joy and pride out of what he did get to have with his beautiful daughter. 

     http://www.courageousthemovie.com/   


It's a great movie, I'd recommend it to anybody who ever wants to be a parent or to anyone who wants to be a better parent!