Steel Magnolias will go down in history, along with ‘It’s a Wonderful Life’ and very few others, as a movie where there is a single scene that makes me cry… if not sob, each and every time I watch it. This scene, acted by Sally Field, It is so powerful and so well acted, I feel I am her.
Of course, at the time of the movie release, I was yet to have children, and I still cried. I just could not imagine. Now, unfortunately, I can. Like MaLynne, I could jog all the way to Texas and back, but my son can’t and never could. Like MaLynne, I was left wondering WHY my son Alex had to die, it’s not supposed to happen this way!!! I wish I could understand as well, but somehow I know I will someday.
Here’s the transcript of the dialogue in the scene, and then the clip from YouTube if you’ve never seen it.
“I’m fine, I’m fine, I’m fine, I’m FINE. I can jog all the way to Texas and back, but my daughter can’t! She never could! Oh God! I am so mad I don’t know what to do! I wanna know why! I wanna know *why*? Lord, I wish I could understand!
No! No! No! It’s not supposed to happen this way! I’m supposed to go first. I’ve always been ready to go first! I-I don’t think I can take this! I-I don’t think I can take this! I-I just wanna *hit* somebody ’til they feel as bad as I do! I just wanna hit something! I wanna hit it hard!”
If you do nothing else, say a kind word to a bereaved mom today.
