Reaction

So I literally just got home from seeing a new movie, Five Feet Apart (heard of it? Yeah the sappy chick flick about CF... seen it? Well you should! Yes, you'll cry but it'll be so worth it), it was really good and made me cry, a lot, so points. But it also made me want to write this. Here's why:

#1; Awareness! This movie centers on the struggle and lives of 2 individuals who live with CF, Cystic Fibrosis, which is a terminal illness and it's all very sad. This particular movie did an incredible job promoting awareness for CF. The director was a friend of Claire's (if you follow the CF vlog community you know who that is) and she helped and played a role in the movie although she died before it was finished. It was sorta obvious throughout the movie that a huge part of its purpose was awareness. Many people have compared it to The Fault in Our Stars another teen rom-com about sick teenagers who "against all odd fall in love" (which in my opinion is a crap ton of BS but that's another blog) however a key difference was the lack of awareness tFiOS. Yes it's cute and whatever but significantly different. Among the CF community there has been a huge response to five feet apart, both positive and negative. But for the most part the movie did some incredible justice. They really tried to be authentic and show us what CF is really like. That alone was powerful. And for people who live with disease the desire for awareness is huge!!! I mean it's so important to us for people to know and understand what's happening in our lives. In addition to that awareness leads to money that allows for study and that keeps the dream of a cure alive. A real cure. A miracle. Obviously one movie doesn't make you an expert but hopefully it makes you more aware and more open to learning more. Because, speaking for myself alone here, I'd be more than happy to explain my illness to you. I don't know everything but I try to. And if you want to know I'll happily tell you. I honestly think the key to awareness is taking away all the taboos!!! It's okay to not understand something and ask about it. It's okay to be asked. Stop being sensitive. And yeah Google is great but 9/10 each illness is unique to the person so they can really tell you what's up. Anyways... I think yes awareness is the goal. But let's remember to pace ourselves! Just because you know about CF doesn't mean you're aware of UC and you can't know everything about every disease out there but being open and trying makes all the difference.

#2; It felt really relatable. Now let me preface I do not have CF nor do I know anyone personally who does. However as someone who lives with a chronic disease there where just moments that felt so real and relatable to me. Example (no spoilers fear not) expressing fears about relationships. From medical costs to needing extra care to the general uncertainty of being sick. It's hard, so hard and it's a nightmare to imagine bringing another person into that. Or imagining another person being okay with that. Now UC, ulcerative colitis if you don't know, is NOT a terminal illness. However people do die from it, that's usually due to not properly treating it though. More often than not they die of complications it involves, i.e. cancer or ruptured bowels and such. So yeah death is real but not at all like it is for those with CF. That being said the fact that it sort of looms in the corner of your vision is real. And the fact that it take and steals so much from you. That was so real... so real. Any disease, I don't care what, steals something from you; be it freedom, "normal", touch, peace, happiness, breast's, colons, breath you name it... it takes it. And that sucks. And it hurts. So there are moments when you take or steal things back. And I think that's so important.

#3 Obviously the whole premise of five feet apart is that they literally can't be together for fear of the chance of transferring bacteria and well, R.I.P so you can probably guess the ending. My thing is that's a bunch of bull sh*t. Literally Drs know basically nothing (JK they know so much and I'd probably be dead if they didn't). A lot, a painful amount honestly, is still being learned about illnesses, UC and CF alike. And you have to be willing to way your own risks and do your own research and make your own choices. Now am I saying be reckless and who care nobody's getting out of life alive anyways? NO! I am so totally not saying that. However I am saying that we were put on this earth for a reason, each of us has divine purpose here. And one of our personal purposes of living is to have and find Joy. If we can't have that then what's the point. I mean really? Why are we even here if it's just to take our medicine and follow every rule and go through the motions. I call crap on that!!! Find what makes you happy and hold onto it. Why in five feet apart did they literally separate to the point of loosing contact? It doesn't have to be that way. Stay friends, stay close with the boundaries you choose. YOU CHOOSE! Don't give up what brings you true happiness because fact is happiness, joy, true joy is a gift. And if it's the whole point of this than it should be cherished above all else.

Feburary Book

Honestly I was super lazy about getting a book read for feburary and it doesn't help that it's a short month, you know?
So finally in a desperate dash to keep my goal strong I took a book recommended by my dad called, Painting as a Pastime by Winston Churchill.

Okay so the basic premise of the book is to deal with stress you need a healthy outlet, in other words a "pass time." He explains the concept of work and relaxation and then makes a case for painting being the solution to all.

I gotta say this book was an easy read, which I was looking for. It was also a very visual book his ability to describe things was absolutely beautiful!! But I did kinda fall flat to me. It just wasn't the powerhouse meaningful I'm gonna make a change because of this book I was looking for. Which was kinda a bummer.

I really loved how he wrote and you could feel his passion. I think passion goes hand in hand with purpose. Without passion purpose doesn't last. I was truly impressed by how much Churchill loved painting. It was beautiful and frankly seeing another's passion is always inspiring to some degree.  I mean imagine living with that kind of passion for something every day. Maybe not about painting but about something and letting it change and affect the very essence of who you are.

I also liked a simple maybe unintentional lesson that was taught. When you have a passion you must try to pass it on to others.  Tell that what you love, why you love it and encourage them to give it a try. But more than that simple encourage them to find their own passion. Whatever it is and pursue it with all their heart.

So yeah, maybe it was kinda a dull read and painting isn't really my end all thing. But passion for life and belief that you can do anything. That's my thing. And if it's yours I'd say give this cute little book a chance.