So there's this movie I watched that left something in me, Watching Straw left me with a heavy heart and a mind full of thoughts. It’s not just a movie, it’s a mirror. A painful, powerful reminder of how life can quietly break someone, piece by piece, while the world keeps moving like nothing happened.
Janiyah, the main character, wasn’t evil. She wasn’t careless. She was just tired. Tired of life piling up problems, one after the other. Medical bills, eviction, a sick child, job struggles, everything falling apart at once.
Many people in real life carry these same burdens every single day, and just like her, they smile through it, until something breaks.
The part that hit me the most was realizing her daughter had died before the day even began, and everything that followed was her mind trying to survive the pain. It reminded me how grief doesn’t always look like silence or tears, it can show up in confusion, anger, even madness.
Straw made me think about how many people are walking around, carrying unseen grief and battles. We say, “Be strong,” but sometimes people need more than strength, they need support, they need rest, they need understanding and lots more.
This movie taught me that mental health is real, and pain doesn’t always make sense. It reminded me that even the strongest people have a breaking point. And sometimes, that one moment of kindness, that one helping hand, can save someone from falling apart.
If Straw teaches us anything, it’s that life can be too much and we should never assume someone is okay just because they look fine. Check on your strong friends. Be gentle with strangers. Carry compassion like it’s part of your name.
Because life is hard, but we don’t have to go through it alone. 💔💛
