Saturday, December 7, 2013

Rudy and women

I tend to be flatly wired, or more closely, plugged into the ground wire- I'm steady and experience little emotional fluctuations in terms of sadness and joy. So I decided to use a prompt to bring out some of my emotions so my kids could see what a human, like their own mama, can experience.
I rented Rudy.
I remember being a youth and my parents rented this movie- by looking at the cover, I had little desire to watch it then, but it turned out to be memorable enough to follow me almost two decades later. I remember crying at this movie to an extent I felt my own inane emotions betrayed me. That movie reels you in and squeezes you out like a wet towel. 
So I put it in and Gabby nestled against me through the whole film, Marco fidgeted, in and out, on and on. 
I provided some bits of narration to ensure they understood the reasons behind some things. They get the feelings the actors feel, and understand the literal action, but not always the motives, or little, but important lines.

Gabby was cheering Rudy on and giving words of encouragement as of half way through the movie, well before a climax. She didn't fuss or want to get up, and as Marco was rolling over us and seeing how far off the couch he could jump, Gabby and I were with Rudy.

Once again, I cried. I cheered and gathered in my girl who felt the emotion as naturally as any heart wielding human can. 

Afterward, she said she was embarrassed about crying, and told me of another time she cried watching a movie while other kids didn't. It was the Lion King- well, geez, that one will get you for sure! I told her she has a  beautiful heart that can feel for others and nothing should ever change about that. We bonded in Rudy's name- she wanted to meet Rudy.
But the finest part came later.
After we all got ready for bed, washed up, read books, tucked in, Gabby comes to me in the kitchen as I was getting a cup of tea and says she was scared before of my reaction, but she was now brave. She proceeded to confess a minor infraction to me- something that had been a contentious subject in the past. She hid it from me since she got back from school, but now, on her own accord, she confessed her actions and mental dialog around it. It was kind of priceless... and it was Rudy!! She said Rudy made her brave! I bet part of it was a emotional bonding during Rudy which fostered a safer place for confessions, but either way...
Rudy prevailed again.

Women are fantastic creatures and I should really embrace all the expanses of our compassionate capabilities. Crying has a purpose sometimes, I suppose!
(I wonder what I confessed to my mom after I watched this as a youth? Lol :)

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