Feeling Good from the Blindside

I just finished watching The Blindside and the one word that came to mind as the ending credits rolled was "wow." Knowing that the movie is based on a true story makes it even more amazing. Watching this movie and witnessing how one woman changed a boy's life so drastically can make nearly anyone feel good and want to do good. I know it sounds kind of sappy but I don't know how else to describe it. I wonder what would have happened to Michael Oher if Leigh Anne Tuohy and her family never took him in. No one else paid much attention to him even though he was hard to miss. This makes me wonder how many people like Michael Oher fall through the cracks of the foster system? How many children have potential and want to do something with their lives but never have anyone to care for them and guide them in the right direction? It's really disheartening to think about it but that's the reality of the situation. I'm sure hundreds of children never get the chance to reach their potential because they were unfortunate to be born to parents who can't even take care of themselves. And then many of them get placed with foster parents who are just in it for the government money. I've never really been the kind of person to think about these things. I'm more like the person who can read a sad story in the newspaper and think to myself how horrible that is and feel bad for a moment but then  flip to the next page and never look back. But this movie made me think. And maybe that's the purpose it served for many people who saw it. Many people who are like me and need to see a portrayal of one of those sad stories to really feel the impact of it. And on the other hand maybe we need to see the actions of a kind hearted person like Leigh Anne who took it upon herself to change a young man's life and give him the family  he's never had. Seeing how someone can open her heart up so much to a stranger can make you wonder what you can do. It makes me wonder what I can do. What the Tuohy family did was extreme and is not realistic for most people. But there are smaller things that people can do. Whether it's through charity, volunteer work or pursuing and becoming dedicated to a career that allows you to help people. And while I'm still finding myself I have added another item to my list. Finding some way that I can make a difference. Maybe I should have pursued a career as  a teacher. It must be amazing be an amazing feeling to know that you were that one teacher that made a difference in a student's life that he or she will never forget. But either way I do feel inspired by this movie to try and find my way to do something good. So maybe The Blindside isn't just purely entertainment. Maybe it can inspire everyone to try and find a way to their part.