Movie Monday: I AM BIG BIRD

On the trans-Atlantic flight home from Barcelona, we had the opportunity to watch several movies. One of my picks was the delightful, touching I AM BIG BIRD: The Caroll Spinney Story. It's a documentary about Caroll -- how he came to meet Jim Henson and to inhabit two of the most famous puppets ever: Big Bird and the Grouch. But it's more than that. It's also the story of a man overcoming adversity, and a story about being a creative person in this world, about forgiveness (his relationship with is father... oh my!) and, at its heart, a love story. Caroll is STILL playing Big Bird, and he's still a creative person (at age +78), and he's still in love (with wife Debra, to whom he's been married since 1979).

I loved this movie. And I didn't even watch Sesame Street as a kid! Sure, my kids watched it -- a little. In fact, Daniel (our oldest) is the only one I really remember liking Big Bird. He's also the one who got a Tickle-me Elmo one year. (Interesting bit in the movie: how Elmo usurped Big Bird, and why.)

Maybe the fact that I was just finishing this really romantic relaxing adventure with my husband had something to do with it, but I was especially touched by the love story.  "I'll meet you at the raspberries." (watch it to find out what I'm talking about!)

But it wasn't just that. The movie also explored the ups and downs of the creative life, how hard (and inevitable!) it is to go after one's dreams, and more and more and more! Even though it's been a few weeks now since I saw the movie, I am still thinking about it every day. I remain incredibly inspired to write meaningful, rich characters for children. What better mentors for creating authentic child-voices could their be that Big Bird and Elmo and all those other residents of Sesame Street? And what a wonderful world this is, where one's "job" can include watching Sesame Street?! I love it!