By Betty Slade
PREVIEW Columnist
I love feel-good movies. You know the ones, where the underdog becomes the hero and the unexpected happens. Everything in me jumps for joy when I witness an average “Joe” become a champion while competing in the race he wasn’t supposed to win.
Have you looked around recently? Feel-good moments are happening right here in Pagosa. Good people doing for others, just because they can, sometimes beyond their own means.
There is a display of goodness in our little town of ordinary citizens — those who rise to meet the day by seeing a need and filling it. I hear story after story about people picking up food and delivering it to the shut-in and the elderly. Then there are those who go the extra mile under less-than-favorable conditions, just to help or be there for someone in need.
My Sweet Al and I have been firsthand recipients of the generosity, time and capability of others. We are blessed to be a part of the Pagosa family. Thank you.
I have always been grateful for the community in which we live. This was affirmed while watching the movie “Spare Parts.” It is the true-to-life story about four high school students who form a robotics club under the leadership of their school’s newest teacher, Fredi (George Lopez).
The students, challenged by perception and means, would have to beat the odds to find out who they are and what they are able to accomplish, doing so by becoming like the spare parts that would eventually become their masterpiece.
As we watched this story unfold, we applauded the determination of the underdogs as they discovered and used their God-given talents. Seeing others reach beyond themselves, reminded us what we are capable of doing ourselves.
Four young men, carrying the weight of life on their shoulders, found a way to stand tall and proud to the dismay of those around them. Only one teacher, who carried baggage of his own, would provide the support the teens needed, even if it was nothing more than to believe in them.
With little more than a dream in their heads, the youth set out to create a robot that would compete against high schools and colleges nationwide. Their budget was a mere fraction of what the other schools had, forcing the team to scavenge for old cars, plumbing and electrical parts.
Each of the four boys had something that the others were missing. One had the tenacity and drive that kept everyone focused. Another had the skills and creativity that made the impossible possible. Still another had the physical strength to carry the team. Lastly and most importantly, one of the boys had PlayStation skills that would take the project to the top.
The complexities of life can stall even the greatest of efforts. But when just one person exercises a unique talent that others are void of, the effort becomes a stop-gap measure that provides needed momentum.
This movie, as well as what I see around me in our community, provides an important lesson about how beautiful something can become when a missing part is substituted with a spare. This gives true meaning to the saying, “the sum is greater than the value of its parts.”
On a personal level, I have been able to experience the sum being greater than its parts through the introduction of a new friend. I met “the good doctor” after reading an article in The SUN newspaper about curly horses. As a writer, I needed to understand the life of a rancher, which is beyond anything I know. Through collaboration, I am able to create a protagonist by walking in the footsteps of someone who knows that character better than I do.
As a result of our efforts, we will be able to bring awareness to the Sulphur horses which are near extinction. My next novel is about a frontier family and the effort of one young man to save the Spanish equine with its unique genetic traits.
Final brushstroke: It doesn’t matter if we need to run an errand, find means to care for ourselves or if working on our favorite project. We live in a community that is as diverse as the landscape around us. Let’s continue the beauty of the day by being the spare part that others may need. It only takes a minute or costs a few dollars to complete where others have need.
Readers’ comments
Send your comment to betty@bettyslade.com.
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