Summary: The Story Behind the Story: "My grandmother & my mother taught me great values, but it wasn't until I came to womanhood that I appreciated what I was taught. I lost my first-born child to SIDS, & that was when I understood how to let go of things. Life is too short to bitter over things that I can't control. I can own my stupidity because I don't have higher expectations from imperfect people. I don't need anyone's validation to feel complete. I am going to make it. I hope that I encourage you by hearing my story. I want to reach the younger generation & urban communities because I believe they can identify with it." ~ Sids Ahky Stevens, Author From the Director: "As a product of a fatherless home until the age of 13, I can remember growing up faster than some of my friends. Since I had to look after most of my brothers & sisters, this helped with understanding the idea of trust, forgiveness, & mercy. First, I had to trust that my mother was giving her best & that everything will go according to plan. Even when things went sideways, somehow, we were led back to the path. I saw my father every now & again, & sometimes he would miss important moments. However, as the oldest, I never had the opportunity to hold guilt or to blame, so I was forced into learning the path of forgiveness. Forgiveness & Mercy go hand in hand." ~ Lee A Smith, the Director The Big Picture: "Our dream is to make this into a feature film so that we can bring this book, this message, & this conversation to the multitudes. Your donations will start the process. A successful festival run with this short will be the launching pad to accomplishing our ultimate goal!" ~ Management
