Judah has been in kettlebell training for the past 6 months. It's a type of weight lifting.
At today's competition, he did 191 reps in 10 min. Each rep is lifting a weight from the ground over your head. For Judah, this was a triumph!All the other athletes were cheering him on during the final minute.
Right after, he hugged me & whispered in my ear, "I am a champion".
Yes, you are, my son
On this early morning at airport security, I met a mom flying solo with 2 small kids in their PJs. The tired 2-year-old boy began sobbing when security required him to surrender his Batman picture book for x-ray scan. The mom was trying to calm her son while also holding a small baby & working to fold a 2-child stroller.
So I did the only logical thing... I told the boy a Batman tale. And he let go of the book & smiled. The story continued as we walked through the scanners & they hand-searched the diaper bag & stroller.
What looked like a small disaster became a blessing. And I met a new friend.
I was 6 months into production on Legends of the Knight when tragedy struck in Aurora, CO. Many people were killed & injured at a theatrical screening of a Batman movie by a man dressed as the Joker. I was heartbroken for the families affected by this horrific event. And I was extremely insecure about the future of this project, which had become so important to me.
For the months following this tragedy, many of my conversations about Legends of the Knight received negative feedback. In light of Aurora, some people I spoke to felt our subject matter was insensitive to those affected & would be poorly received by the general public.
I am an highly sensitive person, & this was a very discouraging period for me. My dream to do good seemed destined to fail. But time has shown that these fears were empty, & I am grateful for those who encouraged me to press on.
You can imagine my joy in learning that a theatrical screening has been requested near Aurora, CO. Proceeds from the screening will benefit Aurora Rise, which continues to assist families who were affected by this tragedy.
I am overwhelmed that our film has the opportunity to help their community. It is a reminder to me that even when everything seems ruined, your story is NEVER over. Your struggle can become a blessing to someone else.
If you are near the Denver, CO area – or you know someone who is – please help this screening become a reality. Share this event. Use the comments to tag friends in the Denver-area. Purchase a few $12 tickets. They need to pre-sell 66 tickets in the next few days to confirm the showing. All the info is here: www.tugg.com/events/8437
As always, THANK YOU for being part of this adventure with me!
Here's an incredible way to start the weekend! A note from a Mom who took her son to a screening of Legends of the Knight. When I am tired & feel discouraged, I will re-read THIS NOTE:
Dear Brett,
Our family attended the screening in Memphis. We needed this film more than you can ever imagine. Our youngest son, Chase, has faced such horrific medical nightmares. He embodies the term superhero.
If you could have seen my little guy's face watching the movie. Who would have thought this medically fragile, autistic kid would connect so completely to your documentary? At one point, he just stretched out his arms and whispered "We are Batman". It was the most beautiful thing we have ever seen.
Guess what I am trying to say is you have made such a difference. Think how many lives will be blessed because somebody ‘gets’ them. Or they finally ‘get’ themselves.
Keep going,
Dana
My most heartfelt thanks to EVERYONE who is helping us make these experiences possible for families around the country!
I just finished a conference call with a not-for-profit client. After listening to them talk about their goals, I shared a vision for a film I might produce for them. I talked about their impact & how their dream is making the world a better place. I expressed how their story is a bright light in a dark world.
When I finished, we had to pause the call because the Founder of the organization was crying. He said that in 18 years of building the organization, he had never been affirmed in quite this way.
I was reminded of the need we all have to be told that we matter. That our dreams are important. That our story can shine light in dark places. That the work we do makes a difference.
So, please hear me say it to you today: "YOU are a beautiful story."
And please say it to someone else. We all need to hear it.
"I know today is Monday and you assume it’s going to be terrible. But according to statistics, there will be over 5,000 weddings, 10,000 childbirths, and 42 million hugs occurring today throughout the United States. Also today, there will be 600 dogs adopted, 35,000 balloons sold, and 800,000 skittles eaten. Plus, the words 'I love you' will be said over 9 million times.
"So again, I know today is Monday. But just smile. Because according to statistics, it should actually be a really nice day."
