This weekend, my wife and I did one of our favorite activities by going to see a movie in a theater. We’re both big fans of movies, and there still isn’t an experience as grand as seeing a movie on the big screen. There just isn’t.
I had to do a bit of convincing to get her to see the feature I wanted to see, but she agreed to give it a go. We chose to see Song Sung Blue starring Hugh Jackman and Kate Hudson. I was fully engrossed the moment Jackman started the film. The script was wonderful, and every member of the cast was perfect. There were several actors who had been very popular in the past who came back to the screen and crushed it. On top of the story, you laid in the incredible musical catalog of the legendary Neil Diamond.
For me, the movie was very emotional. I think I cried 6 or 7 times throughout the film. The story has giant highs and extreme lows. It’s very human and based on a couple who were featured in an award-winning documentary. They saw themselves as entertainers who wanted to help people forget their troubles for the few moments they saw their shows. Jackman played Mike Sardina, who fancied himself a Neil Diamond interpreter nicknamed Lightning, and Hudson played his talented wife, nicknamed Thunder.
To say this couple experienced “life” would be an understatement !! Much of their lives was fraught with tough choices, poverty, and a lack of what many would consider success. It didn’t squelch their passion or desire to constantly move forward. Their dream to perform never dimmed. Never. They didn’t know what lay ahead for them or their family members, but they kept looking ahead.
It was a magnificent movie, which I highly recommend not only because you’ll enjoy it, but also because it conveys a great message for where we are today as a society. We all wish we had a crystal ball that clearly revealed what would come next for us in our daily lives. We don’t, and it’s a good thing. Life is unpredictable and always will be.
The question is, “How will you react when the unexpected comes?”
We’re on the edge of beginning a New Year. Most of what you read, see, and hear is dripping with disdain, negativity, and divisiveness. “What’s wrong” is the lens that leads most people’s days, regardless of what they’re facing. That is discouraging and could lead to you getting mired down to the point of not moving at all. Even if you choose to be immobile, life continues to move around you.
I think we’d be better off as individuals and as a society if we learned from Lightning and Thunder by pushing forward by first coming together. They realized how much better they were as a duo to tackle what was in front of them than trying to gut things out on their own.
I’m excited about 2026, and I have no idea what will happen. I refuse to succumb to the antagonism and darkness that try to claw for my attention and emotions. I will do all I can to see the best in others, even if they fail me (because I’m sure to fail others myself). I will encourage others to thrive and be there to listen to how life is treating them. I will pursue my passions and make sure to reach out to connect with others any time I can. When something unexpected comes, I’ll pause, assess, and then move forward. That’s how I choose to look ahead !!
To give you just a tiny flavor of the film, here’s a deep cut Neil Diamond hit they played. Just phenomenal !!
