“A love like ours is heaven sent – you fill me up with the joy of living; when things get tough, I can always turn to you. You’re my angel…”
“Angel” by Anita Baker has to be one of the most romantic songs ever made, which comes as no surprise because it is delivered by a very soulful woman who is known for singing about love and all it encompasses. Romance aside, this tune reminds me of angels who are oftentimes under-appreciated for all that they do for loved ones and strangers alike.
These angels may also be referred to as heroes because they save lives by donating, facilitating or funding organ transplants, offering help in times of tragedy such as environmental disasters, house fires or everyday challenges including motor vehicle accidents, abuse or other types of violence. The contributions of people who are in this group extend beyond heroic acts, to include simple acts of kindness that tranform lives.
I’m sure that many of you can think of at least on angel who has served you, someone you know or someone that you don’t know. There are many in our lives that we can be thankful for every day because they are also people who lift us up, those that encourage us or bring out the best in us by either intentionally or unintentionally causing us to hone in on our best qualities that we have to offer the world.
It’s kind of like what Morgan Freeman’s character did in “Lean on Me” by challenging his peers and students to do better; what Sean Connery’s character did in “Finding Forrester” by forcing his teenage prodigy to channel anger and curiosity into literary work; what Julia Roberts’ character did in “Erin Brockovich” by helping a group of total strangers get justice for medical ailments caused by pollution; what Liam Neeson’s character did in “Taken” by risking his life to find and save his kidnapped daughter by any means necessary and what Denzel Washington and Chris Pine’s characters did in “Unstoppable” by putting themselves in danger to prevent a disaster for innocent people in nearby towns.
Here is a little trivia game based on film plots involving superheroes and everyday heroes; that you could play during a movie night.
The following tunes were on the soundtrack or appeared as a theme song for which film?
1. "I Believe I Can Fly" by R. Kelly - Film: _____________________
2. "Gotham City" by R. Kelly - Film: _________________________
3. "Hero" by Chad Kroeger - Film: __________________________
4. "Iris" by The Goo Goo Dolls - Film: _______________________
5. "Shake Ya Tailfeather" by Nelly - Film: _____________________
6. "Impossible" by Kanye West - Film: ______________________
7. "Welcome to the Jungle" by Guns N’ Roses - Film: ____________
8. "Gangsta’s Paradise" by Coolio - Film: ____________________
9. "He Got Game" by Public Enemy - Film: ____________________
10. "Don’t Want to Miss a Thing" by Aerosmith - Film: ___________
You can print out this list and play this trivia game at the dinner table with family and friends -OR- You can play it right now by answering the questions yourself. The only catch is that you have 5 minutes. Ready? Set. Go!
What does the word Angel and/or Hero mean to YOU?
Have YOU ever been touched by any Angels or Heroes?
Who were these people and what kind of impact did they have on YOUR life?