Joile has been in the news for all the right reasons this month! First it was for speaking openly about removing her ovaries and fallopian tube as a cancer preventive measure and now its for her amazing speech at the Kids choice awards, where she won the award for best villain in her role as Maleficent in the live-action reimagining of “Sleeping Beauty.”
Being different is something our world frowns out. Here on Inspired By Glory (IBG) we have always fought against social conformities and the need to be what society demands instead of what you are called to be. Being different, i.e. being yourself should always be the priority, even when the world shouts out its need for conformity.
Jolie adds to this by saying “”When I was little, like Maleficent, I was told that I was different. And I felt out of place — too loud, too full of fire, never good at sitting still, never good at fitting in..and, then one day I realized something, something that I hope you all realize: Different is good,”
Today, a lot of kids and adults are bullied for looking, talking or wanting different things. Imagine how boring the world would be if we were all the same….we love Jolie’s message and we join her, as we hope the world does, to celebrate and accept the differences all around us.
Jolie has also been in the news in recent weeks for her powerful New York Times essay where she reveals that she had opted for a surgical procedure to remove her ovaries and fallopian tubes, as a cancer preventative measure.
Two years ago, she underwent a double mastectomy for similar reasons. Jolie’s mother died of ovarian cancer, and the actress has a gene mutation that makes her chances of developing breast cancer and ovarian cancer much higher than the overall population.
Here are snipets of her NYT article
I went through what I imagine thousands of other women have felt. I told myself to stay calm, to be strong, and that I had no reason to think I wouldn’t live to see my children grow up and to meet my grandchildren.
I called my husband in France, who was on a plane within hours. The beautiful thing about such moments in life is that there is so much clarity. You know what you live for and what matters. It is polarizing, and it is peaceful.
That same day I went to see the surgeon, who had treated my mother. I last saw her the day my mother passed away, and she teared up when she saw me: “You look just like her.” I broke down. But we smiled at each other and agreed we were there to deal with any problem, so “let’s get on with it.”……………………..
Regardless of the hormone replacements I’m taking, I am now in menopause. I will not be able to have any more children, and I expect some physical changes. But I feel at ease with whatever will come, not because I am strong but because this is a part of life. It is nothing to be feared.
The above shows us that even in difficulty, Jolie is living her words. Making tough choices and sharing them as a source of encouragement to others. We stand with Jolie and every person who despite all odds is making a choice to stay strong and live.
Source: Portions of this article have been culled from cnn.com and NYtimes.com
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