Our family is on a bit of a roll with thought-provoking movies and shows that we’ve found we can relate to. I recently reviewed ‘Out of My Mind’ and I’m keen to share another review from our recent watch list. The National Geographic documentary ‘Blink’, shares the story of the Pelletier family who travel across the world on a unique bucket list adventure.
‘Blink’ is a travel documentary that follows the Pelletier family’s challenges and travels. Three of the family’s children have been diagnosed with retinitis pigmentosa, a rare and incurable disease that leads to severe visual impairment and eventually blindness. At the start of the documentary Edith, the mother, shares how helpless she felt when her three children were diagnosed. She can’t throw herself into therapy or anything else that will help her children but a doctor suggested that she help her children to create an incredible visual bank by looking at pictures of animals and places in books. Edith grabbed onto that idea but took it one step further by deciding the family should travel the world for a year and experience the beauty of destinations in real life. The children were asked to come up with a bucket list of the things they’d like to see and do. And as children are often inclined to do, they came up with some unusual ideas like drinking a juice on the back of a camel. So, that’s exactly what they did. Edith, her husband Sebastien and their four children set off to create the most incredible memory bank of images. During the family’s travels there is an undeniable undertone of sadness as some of the children and their parents struggle with the future.
Although our circumstances are very different, I could relate to this documentary. I wrote a blog last year about my desire to fill Braeden’s life with as many experiences as possible while Hubby and I can support him. If you missed it, you can read about creating Braeden’s ultimate list in this blog. While I am sure Braeden will always embrace life to the fullest, I also know that many of the things we do when we travel won’t be possible due to occupational health and safety when he is fully dependent on support workers for his access to the world.
Time passes quickly and circumstances change so I am an advocate of taking every opportunity you can to fill your cup full of good times. Whether that is catching up with friends, spending quality time with family members or doing something more adventurous. Whatever floats your boat – do that!
And in the meantime, if you enjoy travel documentaries I think ‘Blink’ is worth the watch but it may be triggering to anyone with a loved one with a life limiting condition. It is currently streaming on Disney plus.
