Last night was one of those nights where, as a mother, I second guessed my efforts to take the boys out for a fun night. It's typically much less painful to stay home and stick to the usual routine....

BUT, the Vilar Center was offering a free showing of the popular movie "Kung Fu Panda" and I thought it would be fun to go. I bribed the boys to choke down an early dinner, resolved a quick fight over who got to wear which shoes and eventually managed to shoo us out the door and up the hill to Beaver Creek.

Thank goodness we went! What a neat event the Vilar offers for families on Wednesday nights. And if you haven’t seen “Kung Fu Panda” I highly suggest you do. There’s a lot to be learned from the lovable Panda Po and his ninja friends….. Here are some lessons that I was reminded of during my viewing:

- Believing that you are special is the only way that you will truly become special.
- Don’t judge a book by its cover.
- Different people often learn the same things in very different manners. What works for one, may not work for the other. The same is true for achieving accomplishments.
- Always keep a sense of humor and don’t give up when challenges arise.
- Parental pride is important, but it’s equally important to recognize when behavioral correction is necessary.
- Dare to dream.

I guess the moral of my story is this: I'm glad I didn't take the easy road last night. I'm glad we went out for a fun night. And I'm thankful that my role as a mother continues to keep me humble and serve as a reminder of life's important lessons.