Unexpected Inspiration

Yesterday I went to see the movie Julie and Julia. I like both the main actresses, Meryl Streep and Amy Adams, and expected the movie would be cute. What I didn’t expect was to walk away feeling inspired.

Here were two women, in or near the second half of their lives, who were unfulfilled and decided one day to try and make their lives better. Of course they had no idea where those choices would eventually take them, but then again, few of us can ever foresee the impact our small decisions will have on the rest of our lives.

Julia Child decided to take a cooking class and forever changed the way America viewed food. Julie Powell started a blog and entertained millions of people. (It is the latter struck a particular cord with me because I, too, was 29 and unsatisfied with my employment situation when I started my blog.)

I walked out of the theater thinking, “If these women can take control of their own destinies and find happiness, so can I.” You’ve got to love a movie that can build you up like that.