Life Lessons in the Movies

You never know where life lessons will appear to you. A few months ago one very important one appeared to me in a very special documentary called “The Long Green Line”. The movie was given to me by its director and producer, Matthew Arnold (who also happens to be my daughter’s boyfriend). I was slightly nervous about watching it because I almost have to like it, don’t I? It is my daughter’s boyfriend after all. Well, no need to be nervous. It is fabulous!

The movie is about Joe Newton, a high school cross country coach for over 50 years in the suburb of Chicago where Matthew grew up and his parents still reside. Joe is a somewhat irascible man in his late 70’s who has coached his cross country teams to 26 wins! You might ask, “Does Elmhurst have something special in the water that produces such amazing male teenagers who can run so mightily?” No. Although not knowing anything much about Elmhurst, it could be so. But I don’t think that’s it at all. What’s different about Joe Newton is that he loves the boys to success. That’s right it is LOVE that makes the difference.

His philosophy is to get as many 9th grade boys as possible involved in the team. He learns all of their names. Shakes hands with each one at the end of each encounter. That’s 200 or so kids!

The year that Matthew chose to film the team was a year like any other in Elmhurst high school’s cross country arena. He couldn’t have know how many top running boys would be lost to the team that year and under what unusual circumstances.

But it was an extraordinary year just as this is an extraordinary film. It teaches by example the most basic of spiritual principles – that love is the most important experience . If you truly love someone, you see who they are. You do not have to make them over in your image or an image you want them to be.

And that’s what Joe Newton’s success is all about.

If you are looking for a different, inspirational gift to give or a way to help your teen stay on a healthy track of life, visit the site and know it is definitely a gift that will keep on giving.