Why It's Better to Cry at Movies Rather Than At Your Own Lousy Life.

Friday was my last lesson with my senior class before their Semi-Big Trial Exams which is a precursor to their Real-Big Exams in October. It was a Rollercoaster Ride of all the Big Feelings - Love, Hate, Panic, Laughter, Worry & Despair, where I tried as hard as I could to cram the last little tidbits about one of their texts,the film, 'Life is Beautiful.'
Although I'm not a big fan of the Star & director, Roberto Benigni, I absolutely love this film. It always makes me cry which I think is a good thing because shedding tears reduces stress & is perhaps anti-ageing. Besides, it's much better to cry about some made-up story than your own Miserable Non-Made-Up Story.
Of course I cried during the lesson when discussing the climax of the film. As he is being marched off to be shot by the Nazis, Guido the Dad, comically winks to his little son Joshus, who is watching him from inside a box where he is hiding. It's Guido's one last little act of Fatherly Love.
I drew my tears all over the whiteboard. They're the little orange droplets.
The stakes are high for my students as their results determine whether or not they get into the University Course of their Dreams. Nowadays, that often means doing something really meaningful like Marketing or Public Communications or Event Management. What could be better than writing a whole bunch of press releases for a drug company or maybe a brewery or cozying up to Corporate sponsors at yet another Champagne Product re-Launch?
Who wants to be a Teacher or a Dental Hygienist or a Molecular biologist nowadays?

Oh dear, better get off my Soapbox before I fall off.
P.S. I look a little unsteady in the photo. I really do have two legs.