Tuesday, October 09, 2007

Mr. Blue Sky-makes me blue



http://www.mrblueskymovie.com/main.html


Mr. Blue Sky Plot Synopsis:

An unconventional love triangle between three childhood buddies; two girls, one born with Down syndrome, and one boy, who all grow up fighting who they are inside, how they are perceived by society as a whole, and who they ultimately strive to become as individuals through the obstacles that are inherently present.

Mr. Blue Sky is a ground-breaking film that explores the romantic relationship of a woman born with Down syndrome and a "normal" male, as perceived by today's society. Mr. Blue Sky attempts to break down society's barriers, much like "Guess Who's Coming To Dinner?" did in the 1960's, as it aims to "change lives" through "changing minds."

Mr. Blue Sky is a heart-grabbing story that will ultimately change the way society views all people as "individuals" first and foremost.

The title is derived from a little girl's hope and love through the sun (Mr. Blue Sky.)




This new movie will be out soon, and I am having mixed emotions about it. It is a beautiful premise, girl with DS loves typical boy, they grow up and fall in love. It is a fairytale in a way Cinderella never was. Because Cinderella never had to overcome anything but poverty. Her beauty defined her, in the movie. We never got to know any more about her than that she was beautiful. For her Prince, that was enough.

My daughter is what many call "high-functioning", a term wrought with misunderstanding. Ciarra lives a fairly normal life. She has wonderful typical and some atypical friends. She attends a regular third grade and plays on a regular baseball team. But...Ciarra still has Down syndrome. As loved and accepted as she is, there is not a soul in her world who does not see her features and make some supposition about who she is. Not necessarily a correct supposition...but anyway. We who love her love her more for the DS, not in spite of it, but in ways we never may have had she been born "normal". She has taught us about dignity and unconditional love. And she has taught me about the world, the good and the bad. And that is why this movie scares me to death.
Normal is what we live every day, despite the DS. But I dont have any visions of Ciarra going off to college in the same way I do for my other 2, she will need some supports, or getting married to a typical young man. I dont dream of grandchildren through her. That is painful to write, more painful to feel. and I dont set the bar for my daughter. But I dont want her to think she has failed somehow if she doesnt attain...that...either.

Right now, she is 9, and we are enough. We fill her days with laughter, and take every opportunity to make it special. We adore her, dote on her, would pull the moon from the sky if we could. We live every day hopeful, with an eye on the future and one on the past. Ciarra, like many with DS, is breaking the old mold. Her life is wide open ahead of her. And yet...a life in which a handsome, healthy, beautiful young man with a normal component of chromosomes falls in love with her and overlooks her obvious innocense, her failure to grasp deep concepts, her...differentness...seems almost cruel to imagine. It is a beautiful theory, indeed. But every year that passes brings a new and knowing look to her classmates and peers. They love her, to be sure, but as much as that is true, they love her despite her DS, they do not overlook it altogether.

Perhaps I should wait to decide how I feel till after I see this movie. But right now, it makes me want to cry. Because as beautiful as it is, it really is nothing more than a fairytale. And a fairytale that my princess just might believe could come true. I dont want to have to pick up those pieces.

5 comments:

Unknown said...

Yep, my sons are younger, but no matter how I try, I just can't get my mind around them marrying, having kids, any of it. So well put, so touching.

Shannon @ Gabi's World said...

Okay, this is how I see it. I think we all had that fairy tale dream as a kid. Whether it is through Mr. Blue sky or through Cinderella, if Ciara or Gabi are imaginative enough, they will develop these dreams anyhow no matter what movie they have seen.

I do think that a typical boy could fall in love with a girl with T21 although not likely. I think that there is a small possibility. More than likely the boy would have been exposed to and had relationships with someone who has Down syndrome or something similar in the past. Like for instance my sons who know life with their sister as "normal life."

I think your feelings are much like mine just because we want to protect our children from the hurt and pain there is in this world. But think of it this way. With love comes pain. The people we love are guarenteed to disappoint us at some point in our lives. It's just life. We just have to overcome these times and forgive.

Okay! Sorry for jumping up on my soapbox. I can totally relate. Trust me, I'm preaching the same speech that needs to be preached to me! LOL

Stephanie said...

That post just made me really emotional and I do not know what to say.
Some thoughts are hard to go over in my head and this happens to be one of them.
I never heard of this movie before. Will it be in theaters or is it a independent film.

Michelle said...

I think it'll be in theatres. Seems they are looking for distributors. It is a beautiful story. It just hits way down deep for me.

Cindy said...

I have so much of the same feelings as you about my daughter Breanna. No matter how happy she makes me and how much I love her just the way she is, it is what I continue to grieve about having a daughter with DS. Thanks for the post, I'm going to share alittle of what you wrote on my blog if you don't mind.
Cindy