Blind sided

When my Dad was teaching me to drive he spent a lot of time emphasizing the importance of checking and double checking my rear view mirrors because of the dangers of the blind spot. Blind spot's cousin, blind side, is just as insidious.

I just returned from seeing the movie, The Blind Side, which I really enjoyed. At one point, Sandra Bullock's character questions her motives for helping Micheal Oher. She asks her husband if she is a good person. She seemed like a very good person to me. She was kind but also courageous. Her big screen introspection leads me to question my motives in life. Do I help people because I truly love them or because there is something in it for me? Do I really want what is best for my children or am I selfishly motivated or worried about what other people think? Do I act with courage when a situation calls for it?

The movie has also left me thinking about times

and ways I have been blind sided in life. Some of those instances could have been avoided had I been more diligent and taken the time to "check my mirrors." Some situations all of the mirror checking in the world couldn't have prevented.

One last lesson from the movie, Michael Oher didn't talk much. He was super quiet. He listened to people and did a lot of thinking. I would like to be more of a listener and more of a thinker instead of such a everyone-must-hear-what-immediately-pops-into-my-head person.