A Wish for Ashley

Growing up, I was always fascinated yet baffled by my mother’s complete inability to sit through a movie.  Regardless of the genre, length of the movie, presence of captivating actors or power of the plot line, she would nod off, get up and start cleaning or otherwise completely tune out the action on screen.  As a middle schooler I, on the other hand, went to the movies at least twice a weekend and could happily sit through any film and be entertained.  When I turned 24 though, I inherited my mom’s disease: movie-induced ADD.

Nowadays, very few movies can keep my attention.  I try, I really do, but I swear there’s sleeping powder falling from the ceiling of any movie theater I step into.  When I luck out and there is no sleeping powder… my overactive brain kicks in.  Check lists run through my head, along with anxieties, and the next thing I know the credits are rolling and I’m telling my fellow moviegoer ‘oh yeah, I agree.  The movie was good.’  

However there is one movie that no matter how many times I watch it, I can pay attention to it.  Ok, I can do way more than pay attention to it: I can be completely captivated by the plot, music, characters and message.  I wish I could tell you that movie is some notable classic, a renowned piece of cinematic history.  Instead I have to tell you that the best movie in the world, is, in fact, Lilo and Stitch.  

What is it about Lilo and Stitch that can always engage my 25-year-old brain and bring me to a happy place?  Well for one, Stitch is like my long-lost twin.  As many of you know, I only act as Audra in day to day life, because at home and amongst friends I am Podge (or Paahjj, according to my late Uncle Will): a semi-human, kind of alien creature.  Podge, like Stitch, often communicates only in short, non-phonetic syllables.  Rahhh, ehh, mrah and erm are among the most popular.   Podge, like Stitch, doesn’t eat real food; main staples of Podge Nutrition are coffee, chocolate and cheddar goldfish.  Podge, like Stitch, can’t swim- it’s a part of her chemical makeup.  It’s really not possible.  However, most importantly, Podge and Stitch share a common, ruling principle.  One that brings a smile to my face each time I watch the movie and hear Stitch’s high pitched voice articulate it: “Ohana means family. Family means nobody gets left behind or forgotten.”

Family means nobody gets left behind or forgotten. Ashley, that means you.  Wherever you are, know that I never left you behind.  Wherever you go, know that you won’t ever be forgotten.  

With love (rah),
Podge