Porter and I had an opportunity to have a little one-on-one date over the weekend. When looking at our movie options, it was down to 2 choices:  Gnomeo & Juliet (neither one of us was really interested) or Justin Bieber: Never Say Never.

Justin who?

Okay, I’m kidding. I mean, I’ve heard of Justin Bieber. But that’s about it. A) There are no pre-teens in our home and B) I am so not up on current music lately. I hardly listen to the radio or watch tv in this phase of my life. It is what it is.

So … we saw Justin Bieber.

And guess what? Within the first two minutes, I was pretty happy about those 3D glasses on my face because my eyes welled up with tears. I kid you not. And that was the first of several times that my emotions got the best of me.

What the heck? What is this about, right? (No. I’m not pregnant.)

It wasn’t about Justin’s music, although no one can deny the 16-year-old is crazy talented. It wasn’t about about how cute he is, although for sure he is adorable. And this is certainly not about movie reviews because I am so not a movie critic.

I’ll tell you what it was about for me. This kid is in the middle of an incredible journey of ups & downs like the rest of us (just on a much more public level) … and the way they connected his past with where he is today, was remarkable. His mother & grandparents not only dedicated their best efforts in raising him but they recognized his natural talents and interests and they cultivated that growth.

It was about appreciating the fact that they had home video along the way, even back to when he was 2 and 3 years old, hitting wooden spoons to a kitchen chair and there was actual rhythm. They were documenting life. They were able to tell a great story in this movie because they put all those little pieces (pictures + home video) together.

It was about generosity. The way his manager & team went out amongst the people and passed out concert tickets to unsuspecting fans. The way he connected with his little girl fans. (Although if Claire ever acts like these screeching, squealing girls … over ANY pop star … EVER … oh, we will be having a serious talk.)

It was about entrepreneurship. It was about believing in yourself and knowing that anyone — ANYone — can take that little seed of a dream and foster growth if you put forth the effort and are willing to face bumps in the road.

In the end, I think my connection with this movie was my already-firm belief that everyone should cultivate a good life and record it. That does not have to have anything to do with becoming “rich & famous”. It’s about each of us taking what we believe is a good life — it’s different for everyone — and going for it.

And … along the way, make the effort to document and record the journey. The good, the bad, the ugly. Because when we do this, we are honoring our past, our progression, and our passion.

…..

I created Project Life because I wanted to simplify the process of keeping memories so that more and more people will enjoy the satisfaction of doing something with their pictures and documenting their stories. I deeply care about helping people bring all their “pieces” together to tell their story.

So this week, thanks to the added inspiration I found in a teen-bopper movie on a date with my 8-year-old … I am giving away a Project Life kit every day this week! In the comments, please share what “cultivating a good life” means to you personally, in a sentence or two. Or share one of your dreams or passions or something you’re working toward right now. Or nominate a friend. And mention where you live.