The 56th Mile of Life

Hello Wandering Reader,

I have always been fascinated by how I can connect with movies and music. It is one of my driving passions to one day become a part of the magic of educating and influencing others through entertainment and writing. However, the critical part of this conversation is the influence these two objectives have on our lives. I have always seen the written word as a way to understand and learn from a story. For music and movies, it is a way to see evidence of themes and feel the emotions of characters and the weight of choices.

For example, a movie that has always inspired me is “Freedom Writers.” The cast that was picked was phenomenal. The message was clear. In this movie, the main character, played by Hilary Swank ( Erin Gruwell), is a teacher trying to make her big break in changing the education system for a racially divided class. This movie clearly shows cultural differences and differences in morals and values. But as you watch the plot and theme thicken, having students who are different come together over a leading cause and take responsibility and action for their future. What would unite such a class over the troubles in their everyday lives? A story we all have read is “The Diary of Anne Frank,” written by Frances Goodrich and Albert Hackett.

The theme is this: no matter where you come from or what you look like, it means you have a voice. It can be used as a powerful tool for change. Action is also a driving point; we can choose to do something good and provide a leadership example, or we can fail, learn the lesson, and gain experience. This movie is compelling, overwhelming, and, to put it simply, inspiring. Toward the end, the students set a goal and met that goal through hard work and challenging obstacles.

Try to find movies and music that inspire you every day to create the change you want; finding powerful influences can help set you on the right course of growth, critical thinking, and positive action. Think about the type of music you listen to, its themes, and the message it is trying to send you and get you to understand. Have you been influenced by a song, movie, or written word? Comment below, and please also subscribe. Let’s talk about it.

Always,
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