Last Friday evening we hosted a screening of The Bucket List at Camouflage Café.
It was a great night.
There was popcorn, homemade refreshments, plenty of conversation and a room full of people enjoying a film that reminds us to make the most of life.
As the evening was winding down, I took this photo of Sammy.
At first glance, it probably doesn’t look like much.
Just a young man sitting in a chair.
But for me, the photo tells a much bigger story.
A few hours earlier, Sammy had been working at the event. He had completed his shift, helped out, interacted with customers and done a fantastic job.
Once he had finished, he didn’t rush off home.
He stayed.
He sat back.
He enjoyed the atmosphere.
He watched the film.
He spent time with people.
And that’s the moment that made me smile.
Sometimes we spend so much time talking about qualifications, employment, targets and outcomes that we forget what most people really want from life.
We want to feel useful.
We want to feel included.
We want somewhere we belong.
Watching The Bucket List that evening, I couldn’t help thinking about the title of the film.
A bucket list isn’t really about ticking off big adventures.
It’s about experiences.
It’s about memories.
It’s about sharing moments with other people.
Looking at Sammy sitting there after a successful shift, relaxed and enjoying the evening, I was reminded that success comes in many forms.
Sometimes success is getting a job.
Sometimes success is learning a new skill.
Sometimes success is building confidence.
And sometimes success is simply feeling comfortable enough to be yourself and enjoy the moment.
At Camouflage Café, we see moments like this all the time.
People coming together.
New friendships being formed.
Confidence growing.
Conversations happening.
A community being built.
For me, that’s what made this evening special.
Not the film.
Not the popcorn.
Not even the event itself.
It was seeing Sammy sitting there, proud of the work he had done, enjoying the evening and being part of the community.
That is what Camouflage Café is all about.
And that is a picture worth remembering.
If you’d like to learn more about the work we do with young adults and adults with learning disabilities through Camouflage Café and our wider Brighter Futures family, you can visit https://www.brighterfuturescollege.co.uk.