Today we took an excursion to the local movie theater to see the new feel-good cartoon Trolls.

The basic idea of the movie is this; Trolls are always happy and their enemies are always grumpy. The enemies are called Bergens. In typical Hollywood fashion, a grumpy Troll and a happy Bergen are the catalyst for bringing both sides together. At one point the Trolls become sad and all lose their color until the one-and-only grumpy Troll decides to sing and brings back the happiness. The faded Trolls catch a wave of color. Emboldened by their improved attitudes, the Trolls manage to cheer up the grumpy Bergens and bring peace to the land. Yay! An unlikely hero saves the world.

The moral of the story – attitude is important and one person can make a difference. How inspiring. I thought to myself how it was a fun movie even if the lesson was a little less than realistic.

As the credits began to roll a catchy tune played while all the main characters danced around. Lady Bug stood up and started dancing, totally engrossed in the music. She was bouncing and singing just as hard as she could go. We were all looking at her and laughing because she was really cute and totally unaware that we were watching. The smile on her face was a glow.

Then a funny thing happened.

Lady Bug heard a giggle and looked around. She froze for a minute, trying to decide if she should be embarrassed or keep hamming it up. Everyone was enjoying her cute show so, one by one, we all started dancing along with her and the music. No one wanted the moment to end. In a few seconds there were nine people dancing to the music of the rolling credits. It was a really cheesy moment but happy and beautiful too.

I was reminded that one person can affect the world, especially if no one tells them it is impossible. I hope I always remember these little lessons that my children teach me and maybe they can search through my stories one day and find a treat for themselves. (Amidst the ranting and swearing of course.)

If you are ever touched by the pure joy of children, this post is for you. It is nice to be reminded that smiles are contagious. You’re welcome.

-Underdaddy to the rescue.