Walking in the movie theater with a friend, feeling a little apprehensive about a book turned into a movie. Especially a book I really loved. See I'm one of those that despise book covers that have the movie scene on the front. Books turned into movies never live up to the imaginative dream in my own head. Fast forward two hours later (plus a little popcorn) and I was a believer. A believer in the power of those that have the gift of bringing that imagination before our very eyes. It was beautiful. On the ride home my friend gave me a compliment that I may never forget. She told me that I would have been a Skeeter. Skeeter was not the most beautiful or the most popular. But she was a strong woman who fought for justice. She didn't accomplish this through picket lines or politics. Skeeter told stories. Her own story and the stories of women who did not have a voice. I truly believe if we listened to the stories of those around us then we would be more apt to have compassion instead of judgement, love instead of hate.

My question to us all is whose stories are we ignoring today? Especially in the upper-middle class, American, Christian community. Everyone has a story. And each story matters. Next time you have a judgmental thought towards someone, stop and think..... Or better yet stop and ask. What is your story? Because I believe if we knew the words that made up a life then we would begin to love instead of hate. And that could change the world.