She's Just a Kid

I was cooking dinner one day when My Girl came in from school and said "Mom...I have an idea."

Now...lest anyone think I'm a horrible mom and just ignoring my kid...I'm not.  It's just this kid's brain never stops when it comes to creativity and imagination.  I am all the time hearing different ideas.  Some good.  Some that I'm thankful never happen.  But this one...this is one I glad she did.

She proceeds to tell me that she thinks she wants to write a "movie" about bullying.  She wants so-and-so to play the bully and blah-de-blah to be the this-and-that. 

"Ok, baby.  Sounds good."

Two days later I begin reading:

Liza ~ “I’m Liza and I’m not who you think. I am human and have the same hopes and dreams…just like you. “

Momma  ~ “Liza Johnson!”

Liza ~ “Yes ma’am! I’m coming!”

Woah!  And it went on scene after scene.  By the end of what she had scribbled down on paper, I was wiping tears away telling her how good it was.  She argued that it wasn't that good and it was just the beginning.  So, I took it to work with me and typed it up to look like a real script.  Added in some descriptive emotions and brought it home to her.

She hugged me and cried!  Said that this was what she had always pictured, but wasn't sure that her scribbling would make any sense to anyone but her.  Her.  The one who was in Liza's shoes just a few years ago.  The one who didn't want to go to school anymore because of the bullying.  The one who just last year began to smile again.  The way that I knew she could.  Her.

So, a few weeks later I had sent out to all of the "cast" that she had assigned to be the characters in her movie and they were all on board 100%!!! 

Then...April 6th...we began shooting.  We started at 9:30 that morning to shoot the scenes that were at my house and wrapped about 2:30 that afternoon at the school. 

What an amazing and fun time that was! 

The ending was My Girl...

“Hi. My Name is Isabella. And I have been in Liza’s shoes. It was hard for me to even come to school every day. But because I did have friends and family who loved me, I did. Sometimes it’s harder to just believe the bad words and actions rather than the good. But the truth is: NO ONE CAN MAKE YOU FEEL LESS THAN IF YOU DO NOT LET THEM!


If you feel you are being bullied…talk to a teacher or Mrs. Loyd or Mr. Pennington. Most importantly, if you are using your words and actions to make someone else feel bad STOP. Remember, we are all in this school together and will probably grow up and graduate together. Your words and actions may only take you a moment, but to the one you treat that way…they will remember it for a lifetime.

Please…be kind to one another.

So...hopefulling coming to a theater...er...computer screen near you soon...