Unlocked is a story about being set free in more ways than one

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Often someone beautiful is trapped in a plain body or in a disabled body, and people are too busy to notice. Sometimes someone ugly is locked in a beautiful body, and the person causes pain wherever he or she goes. Karen Kingsbury’s Unlocked is an inspirational story about how people caught in different prisons can make the world a better place by being set free, by loving others for who they are, not attacking them for something they aren’t or can’t be.

I wish every high school student would read Unlocked. Actually, I wish everyone would read it.

Ella is brave standing up for others and choosing a better way to live. I wish we all could be more like Ella. Although Ella is beautiful, popular, talented, and well-off financially, she has her problems that we hope she can resolve. Troubles affect us no matter what our status is in life. Despite her sorrows, she doesn’t focus on them, but reaches out to Holden and Michael.

I liked walking with Holden through his senior year and getting to understand autism better. I know several people with autism at various levels so when Holden behaved certain ways, I’d recognize that characteristic in someone I know. In Unlocked, we understand that God makes each of us special with our own important purpose. Every person deserves respect.

Michael’s story breaks my heart.

Any story of bullying breaks my heart. It hits too close to home because somewhere buried in my soul is a hurt little girl who was left out for who knows what reasons. The only ones I can come up with are that she was too shy and over sensitive. She was too girly in a tomboy class? She tried too hard? At a young age, she was clearly a type-A personality so got her work done before she could enjoy playing. I don’t know. I shall never understand why people think it is okay to degrade someone just because he or she is different than they are. Haven’t they realized that every person is different, unique on purpose?

The ramifications of being bullied seem to linger through life despite the forgiving and the passing of years. The pain still seeps out, sometimes at the most unexpected times through sorrow, anger, insecurity, fear. God heals though not as instantly as one would hope.

Although there are anti-bullying campaigns in the media and anti-bullying programs in the schools, bullies seem just as prevalent as always. Sometimes coaches, teachers, or other authority figures are the bullies. Why are the “popular” kids among the ones who seem to bully? Are athletes and talented musicians or theater people more prone to be bullies? If so, why?

Reading novels that include bullying issues doesn’t really answer these questions, but seeing the stories end in positive ways gives readers hope. Sending messages that all people deserve respect can only bring about positive results, right?

I hope you’ll read Unlocked, be encouraged, and live your life knowing you are valuable. Be yourself and be proud that you’re one of a kind.

Why waste your time trying to be someone else when God made you to be one of a kind? God bless you.