Can Do

I have to say I loved the Volkswagen commercial from the 2011 Super Bowl with the mini Darth Vader. (And I have to admit to watching it a couple times online just because it was so cute. Since when is a commercial supposed to do that to you?)

Well, the seven-year-old boy inside the Darth Vader suit, Max Page, is going through open-heart surgery on Wednesday, July 14. I'm sure he can use all the good thoughts and prayers we can send his way; such a big ordeal has to be scary for a young kid and for the rest of his family. But the Deutsch LA ad agency released an email from Max's mom that talked about some of the things they were doing to help him prepare for his ordeal. They decided to focus on the things that he can do while he's recovering, and made a "Can Do" list together.

They also put their heads together and made their house more fun. I won't quote the whole email here; you can read what his mom wrote at the Deutsch LA blog. But I've gotta say...wow, what fun ideas! They decided to add quirky themes to each room in the house and the result is something a kid has got to love.

What I liked most of all was Max's attitude about the whole thing. His mom says he's understandably scared, but here's what he finally told her:

"Mom, I don't have a choice. I have to go through it. I don't like it and it's still scary--but I have to. So I think I might as well go through it with a good attitude."

Wow. I love that. I think sometimes we think that having a good attitude comes when everything is going as we want. Sure, it's pretty easy to have a good attitude then. But deciding to have a good attitude when things are not going as we would choose--that takes real courage. And it brings real power.

Here's the Volkswagen commercial video (yes, I watched it again before I posted it):

Can a Teenager Dial a Phone?

Note: The following conversation is slightly fictionalized. But only slightly.


Teenager: I can't get ahold of Leopold. I texted him and he didn't answer.

Me: Why don't you call him?

Teenager: What??

Me: CALL HIM.

Teenager: (confused) I don't make phone calls.

Me: What do you think phones are for?

Teenager: Texting. Music. Apps.

Me: You don't know how to make a phone call?

Teenager: Oh, yeah, I do. You just hit their name on speed-dial.

Me: Do you know how to make a phone call that isn't on speed dial?

Teenager: Yes, I can enter a phone number. But I don't know about those old phones with the rotary wheels where you had to actually dial the number.

Me: They didn't have screens on them that showed what you dialed so you could see if you got it right.

Teenager: I know. That would be terrifying.

Me: So you don't know how to make phone calls, and you don't know how to address envelopes.

Teenager: Oh, I can address an envelope. All you have to do is Google the instructions.

PS: Teenager was laughing as much as I was. Teenager is not stupid. But I am wondering what my future grandkids will think the word "phone" means. Will they ever stop to wonder how the device in their pocket is related to the ancient talking box known as the "telephone"?