I did it. A few weeks ago I gave in and read The Fault In Our Stars. I had seen the trailer for the movie 100+ times and just couldn’t bring myself to go watch something so obviously sad, so I thought I would get the book from the library and if it got too bad I would just return it and no one would be worse for it.

The book was NOT what I thought. There was conflict but it did not center around what I thought. There was cancer but it was not what I predicted. There was death but it was not the death I expected. I read the book in one night and never felt too deeply about it. The writing was fine but the characters were just so young and the dialog so light; I did not shed a tear.

Tonight my husband is with my mother. My children are all asleep. It has been a long time since I have done this, but I went to the Red Box and rented a movie: The Fault In Our Stars. I didn’t think twice about it since I had read the book and knew just what to expect. Sheesh. Tonight I am reminded of the power of film and the weight that comes with watching a “real” person “live”/feel a story. OH MY STARS!

What I will say to you is this . . . if you have recently lost someone you love deeply DO NOT watch The Fault In Our Stars (especially if you are home alone and the one who typically holds you while you weep is miles away). Some of it is hopeless, some of it is actually cute, but a piece of it will put immense pressure on your heart and push tears from your eyes and you won’t be able to control it.

You have been warned.