E Ellis Allen (girlonstilts.com)

Last Sunday, I watched the Oscars from beginning to end for the first time ever. This departure from my regular Sunday routine is a mystery because nothing else was different.

I still have the attention span of a blackfly. My dog was on the brink of protest if not walked, and my home was in its typical weekend disarray — towers of dishes in the sink and a laundry pile as daunting as Mt. Kilimanjaro.

Yet, I was captivated by the ceremony, glued to the screen, chores, and a small, black Chiweenie forgotten.

Unlike the wardrobe parade down the red carpet that I usually tune in for, what resonated with me wasn’t the glitz or glamor but the raw, unfiltered humanity displayed in the winner’s speeches. 

Suddenly, these looming heroes of our screens allowed us a glimpse into the kaleidoscope of their souls.

Within seconds of opening his mouth, the world understood Robert Downey Jr. on another level. “I’d like to thank my terrible childhood and the Academy in that order.”

Through humor and tenderness, he exposed the most vulnerable sides of his heart, allowing us a deep view of him from his own perspective. When Downey thanked his wife, “[…] she found me, a snarling rescue pet, and loved me back to life.”

The night was filled with such moments of passion and vulnerability. Calls to action for the strong to support the weak echoed throughout the theater. Recipients took the spotlight falling over them and shined it onto the storm clouds, creating a silver lining and a beacon of hope.

I was also moved by the past Oscar winners’ tributes to all nominees. Each speech felt personal, an acknowledgment of the humanness between one another and between peers.

Emma Stone’s acceptance speech was another highlight, encapsulating humility and grace. Overwhelmed with emotion, her words were a choked whisper, her demeanor fragile like glass and profound—a reminder of why she’s cherished, not just as an actress but as a person who embodies relatability and inspiration—and she did it in a broken dress.

This year’s Oscars prompted me to reflect on my own journey through moments of despair and the lifelines that kept me afloat.

Books and their adaptations into movies served as a bridge over troubled (bordering-illiterate) waters for me, translating words that once felt stark and alien into stories deeply resonating and a step towards understanding and connection to the world I lived in.

And they still do!

I’m curious about your experiences and what has helped you through tough times. Be brave! Share your story! Because it is in vulnerability that we find strength.