My husband, Andy (of Woodland Shopper's Paradise) has been on me to start my own blog for a while. But, until now, I haven't really found anything inspiring enough to write about. Today I saw "Mr. Smith Goes to Washington" for the first time. I don't know why I have never seen this movie before but I found it and its main character, Jefferson Smith, to be just about the most inspiring thing I have seen for a long time. Well, at least since my experience with the Seagate Eco Challenge in February.
As many of you already know, Mr. Smith is a small town boys' ranch leader who suddenly gets swept off to D.C. as a state senator. Green and deeply patriotic, his first day in the capital city was awe inspiring for him and, like a child at his first day at Disney World, Smith was entranced by the history, the words etched in stone and the figures of great men who shaped our country into the precious nation of freedom that it is. Watching Smith, I remembered the feelings I've had in our nation's capital and wished that everyone could be as hopeful, innocent and even naive as he was.
Jefferson Smith soon gets engulfed in the nasty politics of greedy men and tries his best to stay optimistic. He believes in our country and in the process of getting things done for the people so he goes to work to make things better. When he is finally overwhelmed by those trying to destroy him, he almost gives up. But, just then, a recently jaded but now hopeful colleague convinces him to keep going - knowing that he's the only one who can defeat the evil influences destroying the promise of America.
With her help, he returns to fight his battle, stronger than ever - and fight he does. He never gives up. I won't spoil the end for you but suffice it to say, he is truly inspirational.
There are few characters or even real people that embody the ideals that I believe make a person great and to which I aspire. Jefferson Smith is one of those - truly optimistic, courageous and idealistic against all odds. Idealists have been derided as silly, naive and not realistic. They are told that things won't change so don't bother. But, Mr. Smith proves that there are things worth fighting for, even if it is a lost cause - in fact, they are the things most worth fighting for according to him.
Most importantly, Mr. Smith embodies integrity. He knows exactly what he believes and lives by that which he believes. Integrity, to me is one of the most important qualifications to being a good human being and watching Mr. Smith shows me a great modern day example of that.
I am one of those who has always known that the world and its people can be better - much better. We have the capacity and we should be fighting for that no matter what the odds. I have met many who think I am too much of a Pollyanna and I have always been happy with that label. Yes, I'm a Pollyanna. Yes, I believe that the world can and should be better and we as members of the human race have the ultimate responsibility for making it better. And, yes I believe that no matter how lost a cause looks, if it's the right thing to do, it's worth fighting for. Most importantly, I try to have integrity. I try to know and act upon what I truly believe.
Mr. Smith, thank you for reminding me and inspiring me again to fight for the little guy, the lost cause - for what I believe. I won't forget.
