Relationship Advice We Learned from 'Juno'
Believe it or not--we just got around to seeing the film "Juno" and like a lot of you--we really enjoyed it. We liked it for many reasons--great story, great characters, good acting, humor and poignant moments. While we were watching the moving, people around us were laughing and crying--and that says a lot about why the film has been so popular.
So what relationship advice did this film show us and what can it teach us about interacting with our loved ones even in tough times?
We saw honesty in action in a very difficult situation. We saw people supporting one another from authenticity
and love--and not from the "shoulds." We saw people truly feeling into themselves for what was right for them rather than what others expected of them.
If you haven't seen the film, we're not giving anything away by saying that Juno, the main character, gets pregnant at the age of 16. For those of us who have been in the situation of a "surprise" pregnancy (at any age) can feel what Juno was feeling--as well as what her parents were going through, not to mention the confusion of her "boy friend."
As we all watched these people in the film navigate this situation, we saw understanding, love and respect for each other in a very realistic way--although Juno's maturity level seemed well beyond the typical 16 year old. She knew exactly what she wanted and those around her supported her in her decisions.
Her family didn't try to tell her how she "should" respond to the situation but rather listened to her and loved her.
What kind of world would this be if we all listened to each other and even if we didn't agree and wanted to change what happened, we offered support to those we love?
How much trust do you suppose we all would have for each other if we knew that we would be listened to and loved for who we were?
So often we want to change the other person or "what is." We want things to be different from what they are. Sometimes things happen in our lives that disrupt our normal daily activities. We have a choice how we can look at these events. We can spend a lot of time thinking "what if" or "I wish I had..."--blaming ourselves and others about what happened. Or we can open our hearts to what is and with openness support each other with love, kindness and respect.
