Doing the Right Thing and Clap Along If you Feel...

Doing the Right Thing and Clap Along If you Feel...

Despicable Me and, well, me.
The Oscar-nominated song excerpted below comes from the sequel to "Despicable Me," entitled--you guessed it--"Despicable Me 2."  The song, which rings in my ears these days everywhere I go, goes like this: 

It might seem crazy what I'm about to say

Sunshine she's here, you can take away

I'm a hot air balloon that could go to space

With the air, like I don't care baby by the way

Chorus:

Because I'm happy

Clap along if you feel like a room without a roof

Because I'm happy

Clap along if you feel like happiness is the truth

Because I'm happy

Clap along if you know what happiness is to you

Because I'm happy

Clap along if you feel like that's what you wanna do

Here come bad news talking this and that

Yeah, give me all you got, don't hold back

Yeah, well I should probably warn you I'll be just fine

Yeah, no offense to you don't waste your time

Here's why

Chorus:

Because I'm happy"... 

and it goes on from there.  

I have two adopted grandchildren, and I feel like happiness is the truth.   If you know the story line for the animated movies bearing the Despicable Me title, you know that Gru, the evil genius who wants to be known as the most evil one, conceives of the stunt of stealing the moon to prove to the world he is the greatest villain in history.  Along the way he encounters three orphan sisters selling cookies door-to-door.  When he realizes they can help him gain access to a place he plans to burglarize in pursuit of his moon mission, he adopts them.  Later he uses them to get in and steal the equipment he needs. 

Along the way, they are melting his heart and he is falling in love with the little family he now has.  When his collaborator brings him back to his task, he leaves them behind, returning them to the orphanage, and he easily succeeds in stealing the moon.

"Doing the harder thing when it's the right thing to do."

In the Wall Street Journal, not long ago, I read an interesting piece about the marshmallow test.  Simply described, a researcher handed a 5-year-old a marshmallow, telling him he could eat it right now if he wished, but that he could have two if he waited until the researcher returned to the room.  He then leaves the room and observes by hidden camera what happens. This simple test and the behaviors observed in its subject have been proven to predict future scores on the SAT's, and a host of other outcomes in life.  The challenge of doing the harder thing when it's the right thing to do means a good deal.  

Back to the Despicable Me story, Dru realizing he is missing his girls' dance recital which he had promised to attend, leaves his completed moon mission to try to make it in time.  He arrives too late, learns his archenemy has kidnapped the girls, and runs off to rescue them.  

It turns out in his case as well that "Doing the harder thing when it's the right thing to do," and that what the subject does in the face of this test tells much about one's character as well.  In the process of trying to do his "right thing", Dru is forced to ransom the girls by giving away the moon.  The inevitable double-cross occurs, and the girls are in jeopardy.  At great personal risk, Dru rescues the girls and is transformed from villain to hero.  

My grands love these characters more than most.  They have a special attachment to this adoptive family because of their own history, and I have to say I'm proud of my little group (Mom, Dad and the kids), and the efforts they have to make in doing their "right thing."  God Bless Them, and Happy Easter.