Real Heroes

First thing's first: Spiderman Homecoming is an AMAZING movie!!!! Credit where credit is due for the previous iterations of the web-slinger movies but this is my favorite Spiderman Movie ever! The most important recommendation I give anyone about movies has always been: if you want to have an amazing experience with a movie you are looking forward to; watch as few marketing material as you can. I try to limit my marketing vulnerability to watching the first trailer, the posters and/or billboards and that's it. For this movie specifically the fact that almost the entire film was new to me made it so much more enjoyable than my friends who watched all the marketing material and got a significant amount of the movie spoiled for themselves. 

I loved the movie because it is different, the recipe is not the one we all know by now: peter parker is bullied in school, uncle Ben dies, he gets bit by a spider, he discovers his powers while fighting off bad guys and finally he gets the girl and the enemy dies. It shows a simple and unexpected different take on Peter Parker figuring out what it is to be a hero, a youngster and a celebrity, all in One Really Well Written Movie. Michael Keaton as the villain is too good to be true, Marisa Tomei is has great chemistry as Aunt May with Tom Holland (I just wish she had more on screen time). And Tom Holland is the perfect combination of youth, confusion, courage and comedy ever for this character. The only small nit-pick that I have for this movie is that I wish it could have had more emotional moments, but it was a great comedy and friendly neighborhood Spiderman movie and I HIGHLY recommend everyone to watch it.

Yuliana, Diana and me (in that order)

On the same note of heroes, I present to you Diana. She is one of my heroes because of how she has shown me and everyone what a real hero is. The fact is she has had to deal with very serious illness for a large part of her life, the reality is that whoever meets her sees a person that has more drive than anyone else in the room. Ever since I first spoke with her met her awesome personality I was completely sure that a handicapped person is one that sees their situation as an obstacle and not an opportunity. Still it has been great to see her prove that to others and smile with her every step of the way.

Last week, at the party Project Daniel held to celebrate its 7th anniversary she called me and a friend who are both volunteers and, as per usual for her, she asked us to carry her so that even if she cannot walk she can stand up and dance with everyone. The first time that happened we were in shock, my friend and I asked the doctor if it was safe to carry her to dance standing up and they said yes (every youth with cancer event that is held has Red Cross and Hospital medical teams to be safe about everything going on with the patients). I will never forget her smiling and dancing with us two...

"This is my first time dancing without my wheelchair" she told us

We both almost cried of happiness, but held back and told her this was the first of MANY dances to come. Last week she danced again with us, but for some people at the party it was their first time seeing Diana dance standing up and they got choked up as well. I am so lucky and blessed to be a part of this seemingly small, yet utterly humbling moment.

Diana, Jafeth, Naty, Farolito, Elmer, Vidal, Mino, Monica, Ivan, Daniel and Spiderman and so many more are heroes not because of what they do or do not have... But because of what they have overcome. And in their way, in this challenge-conquering obstacle-surpassing journey... Inspiring others to face their own challenges and obstacles.