With less than two weeks away from Christmas 2012 I thought I would suggest a sure fire gift that will go on giving long after the Holiday lights have faded. It is also appropriate for all ages and will equally appeal to all genders. While I first thought Disney’s “Odd Life of Timothy Green†would be too silly or unbelievable to be enjoyed by adults, I was instead pleasantly surprised by the overall artistry of the entire production. From casting to cinematography, from direction to special effects, this 2012 summer sizzler truly was both enchanting and remarkably done.  The actors, especially young CJ Adams who played “Timothy†so convincingly portrayed their roles that they made the unbelievable believable.
The premise of the film as portrayed in the trailer, led us to believe that this would just be another film by Disney where the parents are stupid, the kids are smart, and the acting would be less than convincing. Instead, director Peter Hedges artfully guides his actors to show so much emotion and meaningful dialog that you are immediately drawn into the story.
 The story begins as a young couple is informed by their family physician that they cannot conceive children. Later, while sitting down together at home, they attempt to console each other by writing down all the attributes they imagined their child would have had.
They encase each attribute written individually on a small piece of paper in a 
small wooden box, and carefully carry it out to the backyard where they burry it, hoping to ease their weary minds.
What happens next is not just remarkable but the things Disney dreams are made of. A sudden storm coupled with strong rain saturates the ground where the little box was buried. The young couple are next awakened by what they think may be a burglar breaking in their house, only to find Timothy (CJ Adams) naked, covered in mud. and proudly announcing “Hi I’m Timothy!  He explains how he came from the garden which does not immediately sink in.
But when they discover he has leaves growing on his legs, they accept that he really is the answer to their every dream for having a child of their own.
Of course this is where you must throw out reality and accept the story for what it is. It’s a remarkable fantasy that leads us on an adventure, reaching beyond the family unit and touching the lives of the entire town in a way that only a remarkable child like Timothy could have done.
The odd life of Timothy Green not only helps us understand ourselves better, but helps us draw from Timothy’s experiences and his attributes of purity, love, courage, empathy, forgiveness, and the greatest of all attributes, the willingness to give your own life to others.
The ending was also not the traditional Disney “Happily ever after†type story, but at the same time ends as only the story could. There is a cycle of life which cannot be averted. None of us live forever. It not how long we live in this life but how we affect others while we are here.
This film made an impact on me in a very personal way. Having a young granddaughter who was born with many birth defects, we could question God and ask why.  Instead, we have learned to accept that each life has purpose. While we sometimes need more courage, strength, and help to get through certain situations in life, it is not the circumstances that affect us most. It is how we deal with and accept these situations in our lives that make us who we are.  Sometimes these circumstances are used to perfect our character, and ultimately develop us into the person that we truly need to become.
 
 
I highly recommend this movie. Not just because it affected me so dramatically, but because every one of us needs a Timothy Green to come into our lives to bring perspective, new hope, and encouragement. God Bless Disney for this one it’s truly a winner in every respect of the word!