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The Ben Carson Story

         I saw a wonderful movie last night about the life of Dr. Ben Carson. It tells the story of how a young boy in poverty with no father, addicted to TV, overcame all the obstacles to learn, to work and achieve. By the end of the movie, people all over the world are coming to see him for help. It's a wonderful story for families to see, for young children to be inspired, for all people of all ages to aspire to something more.

         One of the heart-breaking moments comes when he wins a spelling bee after turning his study habits around. Yes, that should be a moment of triumph and victory. But instead of being hailed for his achievement, a teacher reprimands the entire student body for being lazy. Other teachers looked embarrassed but no one spoke up for him. It was as though she said to everyone that the only reason he excelled was not because of hard work and diligence, but because the others were lazy. If only "they". the children of privilege, with fathers in the home, had applied themselves, he couldn't possibly have won.

         Again, as a young intern at John Hopkins, he again met with prejudice, where some assumed the black man in scrubs must be an orderly (shows the times; there are no orderlies any more), or teaching doctors verbally assaulted him directly. making sure he saw no special favors. He rose above it, keeping his promises to his mother and to Jesus. He never gave up.

         Today he is one of the world's leading pediatric neurosurgeons. He is outspoken politically, too, but that isn't touched in the movie. It's worth watching if you can catch the rerun. See it with your children or grandchildren, ten and older. It opens doors for discussion and shows a child can decide what his fate will be.