Inspirational songs by various artists

Tim McGraw:              Live Like You Were Dying

Lady Gaga:                 Born This Way

Micheal Jackson:        Heal The World

Kelly Clarkson:            Stronger

Bette Midler:                Wind beneath my wings

Aretha Franklin:           Respect

Mariah Carey:              Hero            

If I Could Walk

If I could walk, I would be bad
I'd be a wild child
I would be able to go out when I want
To the movies
I could make my own plans
I would hang out with my friends
Go to parties and have fun

If I could walk
I would hang around with people my own age
Because I could do the same things they do
I could be adventurous
Make my own decisions

I could be me
The me I wish I could be

By:  Kyle Boyd


Trapped

I feel trapped like I have been given the wrong body.
I should be free, doing what I choose
Instead, I am stuck letting everyone choose for me.
I go nowhere, I do nothing
I am trapped in a damaged shell.
One day I want to be set free
To do what I want when I want
That is how my life should be.

By:  Kyle Boyd

                I’m still here

By Jo Colvin

February 2012 

Trapped in the darkness

I feel all alone

 I want to feel high

 But I only feel low

Alone in my room

 I stare at the wall

 Laying on my bed

 Curled into a ball

 Some days are good

 Some days are bad

 Sometimes I’m happy

 Other times I’m sad

 And sometimes I’m angry

 That’s when I shout

 I need to scream

 To get it out

 There are days when I’m happy

 I can laugh and play

 Unfortunately, I know,

 These days wont stay

 The days when I’m sad

 I sit and cry

 The weird thing is

 I never know why

 There are times I am lost

 All alone in my mind

 I’m scared to look closely

 I fear what I’ll find

 I am a prisoner

 But I’ve committed no crime

 My body’s my warden

 Life is my time

 Please don’t judge me

 On what you see

 Because this isn’t the person

 I want to be

 Please don’t lose hope

 Or give up on me

 Your love and support

 Can set me free

 The road I am traveling

 Is dark and long

 But by facing my monsters

 I will become strong

 And one day again

 You will see me

 The real me inside

 The me I want to be

 Ode To Kyle

By: Jo Colvin

February 2012

You’re taking a crappy situation

and becoming an inspiration

to all the other kids out there

who want to play and have some fun

who want to walk and skip and run

but instead they have to watch from their chair

I watch you struggle everyday

to do what many others may

take for granted and as their right

but instead of sitting and crying

I can see how hard you’re trying

to help others to win their fight

You’re showing others that you care

by the personal thoughts you’ll share

to help them feel not so sad

You’re plans to share with them your life

you’re troubles, pains and strife

will help them to feel not so bad

So throw your arms open wide

and welcome them inside

and be remembered forever

launch the website, which is rad

It’s called DurhamA.D.A.P.T

All Differently Abled People Together

In this section, I will be reviewing movies that I have watched that I find inspirational.  The movies may be about physical disabilities, mental illness or learning disabilities etc.   All the movies will have a message in them.  I will rate each movie with stars.
4 stars  -  Awesome
3 stars  -  Really Good
2 stars  -  Good
1 star    -  Poor

 The King’s Speech    Rated: R                        

The King’s Speech tells the story of the man who became King George VI of England, the father of Queen Elizabeth II.  After his brother abdicates, George ('Bertie') reluctantly assumes the throne. Plagued by a dreaded stammer and considered unfit to be king, Bertie engages the help of an unorthodox speech therapist named Lionel Logue. Through a set of unexpected techniques, and as a result of an unlikely friendship, Bertie is able to find his voice and boldly lead the country through war.

I don't recommend this movie for children or teens, but definitley would recommend it to adults.

Simon Birch   Rated: PG

Simon Birch is a movie about a disabled boy and his friend Joe. Joe lets Simon know that even though he faces many challenges, God has a purpose for him. At the end of the movie, it becomes obvious that his purpose was to become a hero.

Definitely a must see for families to watch together.  I recommend a box of kleenex.

 A Walk To Remember    Rated: PG

A Walk to Remember is about a teenage girl, Jamie, the town ministers daughter, who is living with a secret. She is dying from leukemia. A teenage boy, who gets into trouble with the law, named Landon Carter, has to serve community service hours. Landon ends up seeing past Jamie's primness, and falls in love with her. She then has to tell him she is dying. He stands by her and marries her before she succumbs to her disease.

Mask                Rated: R

This movie is about a teenage boy, named Rocky, who was born with a massive facial skull deformity. Many people treated Rocky horribly, but his mother was always on his side and always supported him.  The movie tells us about his struggle to live with such a devastating and fatal disease and the issues he has to deal with every day.  These include such things as people judging him for his looks, limited exercise, discrimination etc.  Rocky finds acceptance from a blind girl at a camp for children with special needs. Have you ever heard the quote “Don’t judge a book by its cover?”  This movie is a perfect example of this. 

I recommend this movie to grade 11 students and up.

Radio Rebel           Rated: G 

This movie is about a high schooler named Tara, a girl so painfully shy that she can't even write a single letter on the board in front of a class.  However, Tara has an awesome secret. She finds a way to get her voice to be heard.

I definitely recommend this movie to all families.

 Charlie St. Cloud      Rated PG: 13                   

Charlie St. Cloud is a movie about two brothers, Charlie and Sam.  Sam is killed in a car accident and Charlie, played by Zac Efron, feels guilty about his brother’s death.  Because of this, Charlie has a hard time moving on with his own life.   He had made a promise to play baseball every day with his Sam and so he sees Sam’s ghost after his brother passed.  Eventually, Charlie had to choose between living in the past with his guilt, or moving on with his life with his girlfriend. 

I recommend this movie mostly to teenaged girls and families. Make sure you have a box of Kleenex handy.

I am Sam               Rated PG: 13         

I am Sam is about an autistic father who fights for custody of his 7-year-old daughter, named Lucy, like the song Lucy in the sky with diamonds.  In the process, he teaches his cold-hearted lawyer the value of love and family.

I recommend this move for all.  You might need a box of Kleenex.

The Notebook    Rated PG:  13

The Notebook is this movie is about a poor and passionate young man, Noah, who falls in love with a rich young woman, Ali, and gives her a sense of freedom for the first time in her life.  After a great summer spent together, they are separated by their social differences.  Their love was not to be denied however.   Ali saw a photo of Noah in the newspaper after he built a house, and she looked him up.  They reconnected and were married.  After raising a family together, Ali develops Alzheimers disease and the movie tells of their love pulling her out of the fog occasionally.  Noah never gives up on his Ali, even when she no longer remembers him.  He tells her the story of their love and life everyday and once in a while, she comes back to him fleetingly. 

I recommend this movie to teenaged girls and you might need a box of Kleenex.

Sidney White            Rated:       PG 13

Sydney White is a movie about the modern retelling of the classic fairytale, Snow White.  It follows a beautiful college freshman as she pledges to her late mother's once dignified sorority. But after discovering that today's sisterhood is not what it used to be, Sydney finds a new home away from home with seven outcasts. With the help of her socially challenged new friends, Sydney will take on the reigning campus queen to attempt to transform the school's misguided social hierarchy.

I recommend this movie for families to enjoy together.

                                                  Glee          Rated:       PG

This is a TV series about a High School Spanish teacher, Will Schuester, who becomes the director of the school's failing Glee club, New Directions, hoping to be able to rejuvenate it. The club competes in the choir competition circuit. It's been called "a High School Musical for adults". The series follows the club and its mixture of oddball members as they try and restore it to its former glory. It is a musical comedy in which the eager and ambitious students not only compete to win the Nationals, but also have to deal with the tough and cruel realities of their school, McKinley High. At the same time, Will is trying to rejuvenate his failing love life whilst preventing the school's cheer leading coach Sue Sylvester from sabotaging the choir.

I recommend this to mostly girls.