Today I have watched footage of two inspiration teenagers. The video above does not surprise me that it inspires me. I felt tears well in my eyes watching this, especially the love and devotion that the Dad has shown and how wonderful it is that we live in a time when we have technology that enables a person to communicate whereas before they couldn’t. Worth a watch if you have the 9 minutes or so.
The second inspirational teenager made me look at my own biases and judgement. Yes it was Justin Bieber. A while ago I read a few comments from people I respect about his documentary that came out last year. Several months ago I found it in the pre-watched bin for sale at the video store. I bought it thinking maybe the kids might like it. Today we watched it.
And while I must admit I have grown past teenage pop (although I will admit if I was 13 right now I can guarantee that I would probably think I was in love with him – memories of posters of Jason Donovan, Bros and New Kids on the Block wallpapering my teenage bedroom – ugh), I actually now freakin admire the kid, his work ethic and his talent.
I had made a pile of assumptions about this kid, namely that he was created and made and pretty much that he was a passive bystander going along with a money making ride. And I am wrong. He has musical talent, he obviously is meant to be a musician looking at the videos from him as a younger kid and he has worked his butt off for his success. He is going along on a wild ride, that much is clear, but he set out to create this and I seriously have had a whole flip in how I perceive him.
And I am just a little embarrassed to see just how much I had assumed that I knew about this kid when I knew nothing. All I saw was the Hair, the high voice and music that I probably would change the radio station to get away from. And I won’t be going out to buy his album now, his music still doesn’t appeal, but I am inspired and I admire him for what he has done and achieved in his short life. And I won’t be so quick to judge next time I hear the next teenage pop sensation on the radio.
