Gifted Hands: The Ben Carson Story

     I was excited to see that "Gifted Hands: The Ben Carson Story" is available on Netflix, so of course I watched, and it was definitely worth it.  Cuba Gooding Jr. did a great job depicting Dr. Ben Carson and mastered the soft voice that Carson is known for.

     The film is a series flash backs as he prepares for the surgery that made him famous, which was when he separated conjoined twins.  Before Carson attempted the surgery, no surgeon had ever successfully separated conjoined twins and managed to save both lives.

     What I love about this film is not what he managed to do, but the underlying message given to him by his mother.  The repeated statement by his mother to him and his brother was, "You can do anything anyone else can do.  Only you can do it better."  Carson's mom was defiantly a 'no excuses' woman.  I guess you can say she was my favorite person/character from the movie.

     In the film, Carson's mother didn't learn how to read, yet she strived to make her sons better students.  Of course, being a no excuses woman she eventually learned to read.  It's remarkable the kind of impact a mother can have on her childrens' lives when she takes this approach to parenting.  She could have been someone who continued to live off of welfare considering how she was a single mother, but instead she worked hard and was a homeowner.  This is an amazing feat since married couples have a difficult time owning homes with two incomes.

     Watching the film made me examine my own life and question whether or not I was actually living up to my potential and doing everything possible to reach my goals.  Of course in comparison to Carson's hardworking family, I am not.  However, this was a very motivational film.

     By watching, I was also able to understand why so many people are in support of him becoming President of the United States despite his lack of political experience.  In life he approached many obstacles (like separating conjoined twins) with no experience, but mastered the challenge in the end.

     I would definitely suggest everyone watch this film.  Below is the trailer, feel free to watch.