Review of the movie "Lion"

Sheila and I watched a movie Friday night that she had been wanting to see.  It is based on the true story of Sharoo Brierly.  He was from a small village in India, where he lived with his mother, older brother and baby sister.  His family was very poor...his mother worked in a rock quarry, and he and his brothers scrounged (and stole) whatever they could to survive.  At the age of 5, he was separated from his family by tragic circumstances and ended up over 900 miles away in the city of Calcutta...lost and alone.  The movie portrays the horrors of what happens to children living on the streets in India...and in their "orphanages".  (I HOPE that things have changed greatly since the 80's, when this story took place!) 

Sharoo was adopted by an Australian couple, who later adopted another boy from India.  Their early years are quickly skimmed over, and the story resumes when Sharoo is in his mid-20's, when he decides to try to find his birth family.  The obstacles he faces are monumental, considering India had a population of around 1.2 BILLION people at the time of his search (and over 500,000 villages)! 

I don't want to spoil the movie for anyone who decides to watch it, so I won't go into any more details of the story.  What I will do is talk about how powerful this movie is!  Of course, I am especially vulnerable to adoption stories right now...with one adopted grandson from Ethiopia and another one in process from Vietnam.  I can get pretty emotional!  This story had me bawling out loud.  I was trying so hard to hold it in (because it really embarrasses me to sob uncontrollably in front of other people!), but I couldn't.  My heart broke for this little boy as he faced the unbelievable challenges of being alone and abused and finally flying to another country to live with strangers that he couldn't understand.  Thankfully (at least, hopefully) neither of my grandsons have had to face the abuses that Sharoo did, but the emotional impact of international adoption on a child is still very traumatic.  I already knew this in my head, but seeing it portrayed brought it home to my heart.  (I wasn't around Shepherd very much when he first came home...certainly not on a daily basis.)  Even though I strongly believe in adoption (whether domestic or international), I also recognize the struggles that children face when such a traumatic upheaval occurs in their lives.  I've observed it, not only watching Stephen and Mandy as they brought Shepherd home; but also seeing how my CASA kiddos have struggled through the whole foster care and adoption process.  The older the child, the more traumatic it is, because they remember their birth families and love them and want to go back to them.  But even in infants, their little brains retain their birth mothers' smell and the sound of her voice and they suffer from being separated from her.  Even when they come from terrible homes, their brains are still hardwired with the memories of being separated from their familiar people and they suffer trauma.

Sheila has done a lot more research on this subject than I have, but I have read books and articles about what happens to the brains of children when they suffer early trauma.  The effects can be extreme and permanent.  Being loved and cared for by insightful and understanding parents can make a world of difference, but some still end up permanently "damaged".  Some of this was process was demonstrated in this movie, and it was so very painful to watch!  I'm extremely thankful that Shepherd has done so well in his adjustment and attachment to Stephen and Mandy (and Jesse!), as well as to the extended family.  I hope and pray that Josiah will be resilient and do well with his transition when the time comes.  I certainly will have a little better understanding of what he will be going through and hopefully react in a way that will help him.  Sheila is constantly studying about the challenges that he and she may face...throughout his life.  I'm sure if anyone can do a good job of seeing a child through this traumatic time, she can! 

In conclusion, I would like to recommend this movie to all...not just to those who are interested in adoption.  It does such a good job of showing what these little ones go through and how their past can influence them throughout their lives.  It also demonstrates the love that (good) adoptive parents have for these "chosen" children.  I think we should all open our minds and hearts to those who are the most in need.  Not everyone can adopt.  Not everyone will choose to assist those who do adopt.  But I think we should all be willing to learn more about adoption and be more compassionate and understanding with those who do feel called to reach out to these precious children.  We are commanded to minister to widows and orphans.  Being supportive of those who decide to open their homes and hearts to orphans or abandoned or abused children is the least that anyone can do!  (A neat side note of interest...Nicole Kidman, who plays Sharoo's mother in the movie has adopted two children in real life.) 

Be sure to have tissues handy!