I recently re-watched one of my favorite movies, Little miss sun (2006). If you haven’t seen the movie, it’s a funny and heartwarming story that captures the crazy and wonderful essence of the family, in all its dysfunctional glory.

The youngest member of the family, eight-year-old Olive, has a dream: to participate in the Little Miss Sunshine beauty pageant. But not olive Sight like the stereotypical beauty pageant contestant. And, as we eventually found out, Olive certainly doesn’t dance like your average beauty pageant contestant, either. His grandfather, who smells cocaine, choreographs his dance routine and it’s … pretty.

Unfortunately, Olive’s grandfather dies (of a cocaine overdose) on the way to the contest (and is wrapped in a sheet in the back of the VW family bus), so Olive dedicates her final big performance to her grandfather. .and decides to give her everything on stage.

But she almost doesn’t, because at first, her team of followers tries to stop her. They want to protect her from being ridiculed. At this point in the contest, the rest of the family (Olive’s suicidal uncle, played by Steve Carrel; her distraught teenage brother who hasn’t spoken in months, played by Paul Dano; and her growth-obsessed father, played by Greg Kinnear) have realized that Olive does NOT fit into the pageant scene and is going to make a fool of herself. So, as politely as possible, they try to dissuade her from performing her dance number at the talent show.

But Olive’s stressed but understanding mother (played by Toni Collette) explains why They need to let Olive dance, even if they laugh at her.

“Olive wants to do this, “Mom explains.” He loves who he is. She loves to dance and has worked very hard to prepare for this contest, so U.S I need to let her do this. “

And so Olive performs her outrageously funny and completely inappropriate dance routine (to the song, “Super Freak,” by Rick James). His family was right to be concerned: the contest organizers and the contestants’ families are shocked, then mortified, and then outraged.

Yet little Olive keeps dancing, determined to finish what she started.

When the livid organizer of the contest tries to get Olive’s dad to interrupt his performance, there is a crucial moment where Dad is about to take Olive to stop dancing, but then he changes his mind and instead jumps on stage and dance WITH her! The other members of the family quickly join in, much to the chant’s organizers’ chagrin, but to Olive’s utter delight. She is delighted to dance with her family in the parade of her dreams.

It is a powerful moment because it says a lot about the importance of having a strong support network in our lives. Who has our back in life? Who supports our dreams and other endeavors, whether they are big, small, or not quite the norm? Who in our lives will join us on stage, if necessary, and make a fool of themselves in support of something that means a lot to us?

Likewise, who in our lives could be needing U.S pounce on its practices? What kind of small but meaningful show of support could we give to someone we care about, who might Are you really using that little bit of extra encouragement right now?

We all need a small but committed team of fans to take to the stage with us, when needed. Or even if they keep watching from the sidelines, that’s fine too … as long as they cheer us on.