Last year Rachel I posted Rachel’s review of Les Miserables.  She and I both love Mary Poppins. Me even more than her I suppose.  She especially likes the stage version. After all, it was her first live Broadway show in New York City. It will always be special. She was nine, and she declared that when Mary Poppins flew out over the audience,  “Mary blew me a kiss, Mommy.”  Magic. She treated her MawMaw to Mary Poppins at the Kansas City Music Hall last year, and I think it was just as magical. Her daddy and I explained to her that this movie would be different from Mary Poppins. It was her story.  She understood that and watched on the edge of her seat.

After a movie we often discuss our favorite parts and thoughts.  We wanted to know her favorite parts and thoughts about this movie, too. She had three thoughts that I thought were significant. First, she said she loves the part when they are singing and Mrs. Travers is dancing to “Let’s  Go Fly a Kite.”  I can’t get that out of my mind and much to the chagrin of my family, I’ve been singing it ever since we saw the movie. It was a sweet and fun part of the show. Then, she said that she liked it when “that guy” comforted Mrs. Travers at the premier. “It was touching,” she said.  For those of you who may not know, “that guy” was Walt Disney!

As we’ve continued to discuss the movie, she has moved this to the top of her like list though.  She said that she liked the poem the little girl wrote for her dad. When we inquired about why she said,”It was sweet and touching. She loved her dad very much. She wanted to make him better.”  I am not surprised by her thoughts and insights.  Dancing and singing and comforting people. Rachel has a sixth sense about people when they are hurting. Recently when a dear friend lost her adult son to a diabetic coma, Rachel comforted and counseled her by phone. The friend said, “Rachel has a gift Jawanda. She knows how to comfort and counsel people when they are hurting.”  Some people would say it is her Down syndrome. However, a good friend (mom to a young lady with Down syndrome) said to me a few weeks ago, “It’s not the Down syndrome. There are plenty of people with Down syndrome who don’t have that gift.”  I believe she is right and that is another of those Down syndrome myths.

Rachel’s recommendation is “You should see the movie. You will love it.”  And one of Rachel’s dreams is for CYT to get the rights to “Mary Poppins” and for her friend Julie to direct her in the show.  Too bad we can’t talk to “that guy.”  He could probably help us!