After discovering she was at high risk of breast cancer as a result of a faulty gene, Angelina Jolie made the brave and heroic decision to have a double mastectomy. When most are enlarging their breasts to give them confidence and enhance what they already possess we are now hearing of women who make the pain staking decision to remove them. This is the difference between life and death, vanity doesn’t even come into the equation. This extreme measure can only be commended not questioned.
This siren of the screen was known for and judged by many on her wild days before adopting three children from Cambodia, Ethiopia and Vietnam as well as having three biological children with her devoted husband Brad Pitt. When children come into your life your priorities change and the perfectly acceptable days of having fun and experiencing things that you learn from become memories that you are grateful for not least because you will have a better understanding of your children as they go through life’s inevitable stages.
In 2007, Angelina’s mother Marcheline Bertrand an actress and humanitarian lost her battle with ovarian cancer. As a daughter Angelina and many like her, will have felt an emptiness that was once filled with love and comfort. This feeling extends to sons also, there are no exceptions when you lose a parent at any age and in particular when you still have much to learn and share with them. It brings home with surprising force that this is what your own children will feel if they lose you. The thought is just too unbearable and as any parent will tell you, all you want to do is protect them; no matter the implications for you.
Like mother like daughter, Angelina has continued her much respected humanitarian work but has disappointingly been questioned about her motives as have many celebrities and high profile figures in recent years. Unbelievably to me, she has been the subject of scrutiny when adopting her three children. Is it so inconceivable that perhaps she just wants to help? There is a lot of negativity when it comes to ‘doing for others’ and non-sensical reasons made-up by people who can’t find it in their hearts to do the the same. Money seems to be on the minds of those doubters but money can’t buy everything. It can’t buy your health and peace of mind for your children’s future. The future is without doubt the sole reason for her decision to adopt and nurture these children… to give them a chance.
You still have fun as a parent but just think of the times Angelina and Brad are experiencing; six children with very different personalities! I imagine their home is a very lively and contented one and Angelina wants it to remain that way for as long as her children need and deserve. By making the decision to remove parts of her body that represent her as a woman she has shown the world that being a mother is for her the only role that needs no awards… the rewards far out way any accolades that she may have received while acting.