hilarious 3rd grader and her delightful 5th grade sister, i knew i couldn't top the evening. but scott and i had talked about catching a flick at the picture show. we checked out what was playing and instantly agreed on "juno" which would start in less than 30 minutes. knowing little of the story, but having heard positive acclaim from several friends, i felt confident in our choice, as we found our seats after the movie had started.
fifteen minutes in, juno had me charmed by her verbal coinage, wit, and wisdom beyond her years. the honest dialogue of her step-mom and dad through her eyes, showed their weakness, but even more a strength of character that drew me, endeared me to their "minnesotan" grit, and had me laughing throughout.
if you haven't seen "juno", you might want to stop reading now, so you won't blame me for divulging...
to me, one of the most poignant scenes of the movie happened right after juno gave birth and lay in the hospital bed exhausted. her dad looked lovingly at her and said, "someday you'll be here again, on your terms", at which point i lost it, and was practically sobbing aloud in the packed theater. moments later, the baby's dad, bleeker, runs in somehow sensing the moment had arrived. juno's dad welcomed him and gave them some space. then, without words, bleeker saw juno, and muddy sneakers and all, climbed on her bed and held her through her smiling tears for what seemed like forever.
later, as scenes from the movie replayed in my mind, this one wouldn't leave. amidst the challenge and pain juno faced for experiencing something she, at 16, wasn't ready for....i saw so much room for healing and wholeness, for juno and for bleeker, and for vanessa, the adoptive mother. then i thought of the choice so many girls quickly make "to nip it in the bud" without even telling the fathers of their little hearbeats, and it seemed to contrast so greatly to that scene, which was literally life-giving to each person in the story.
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