Big Sonia

I love independent films, especially documentaries. Last week I saw BIG Sonia. Strong, courageous, optimistic and just seems to love life all around. She’s an incredible woman, a fighter, a survivor!

For the past 30 years, Sonia Warshawski has run a little tailor shop in an old, rundown, almost abandon mall. One day she receives an eviction notice and must face the fact that her beloved shop is closing. She’s definitely had more than her share of difficult times. She was only 13 when she and her mother were taken to a concentration camp by the Germans during WWII. She watched as her mother walked to the gas chamber and on the day of liberation, she was accidentally shot in the chest.

Sonia has made it her mission to speak up. She visits schools and prisons, sharing her story so the horrors of the holocaust won’t be forgotten and happen again.

While I loved the film (and definitely recommend it), what really jumped out at me was that of all the people who have a reason to be sad and focus on the negative, she has chosen to focus on the positive things and celebrate her heritage.

Similarly, I also look for the positives, the silver linings. I can say from experience that just because I’ve focuses on positive things, life hasn’t stop giving me lemons. In fact, some days, it seems like life freezes and throws them at me. Even though the lumps hurt, they remind me that I’m still alive and that I can get through anything that comes my way.

Happy 93rd birthday, Sonia! You are an inspiration to so many people! It’s often true that big things come in little packages. To find out more about this incredible woman, visit https://bigsonia.com/