Just because it's what's done doesn't mean it's what should be done.

I don't often watch movies that don't have animated singing animals, so when I get the opportunity, I prefer thought-provoking films instead of light-hearted ones.

A few weekends ago, I took the girls to see Cinderella. I know what you're thinking... It's still a kid movie! Yet... It isn't. Not exclusively. Honestly, I had initially thought that there was no way I would take them at all because who knows what Hollywood must have done with the story, and live-action movies are just not their thing yet (thus the animated singing animal theme I mentioned earlier), so we'd wait for "Frozen Fever" to show up on YouTube and watch it then; forget about Cinderella. But then I heard... It's unexpected. It's beautiful. Its message is... Meaningful. So we went. And Cinderella was beautiful, unexpected, and more. A familiar story to which we all know the ending still had me on the edge of my seat. Tears welled in my eyes several times as I watched the sorrow and cruelty Cinderella had to endure. I never understood why she just took it, I thought to myself. Why didn't she leave? How did that evil not harden her heart? Of course anything can happen in a fictional story, but I'd like to believe that Cinderella's goodness is attainable in real life too.

I looked for the quote but couldn't find its exact words... When the prince asks Cinderella whether her stepfamily is nice to her, she replies something to the effect of "they treat me as best they know how." She doesn't blame them for their cruelty; she knows how broken her stepfamily is and serves them despite their ingratitude and abuse, despite how little they deserve her self-sacrifice.
She's nice... but there's more to it. She isn't a pushover. She has grace and courage that transcends her dire circumstances. Courage is not just big and bold. Her courage is quiet, but it gives her the strength to both accept her circumstances and serve her stepmother and stepsisters.
"Have courage and be kind" are the words her mother leaves with her, and Ella's loyalty to her parents are the reason she endures everything.

Does she have some superhuman ability for forgiveness? Or just strong convictions and ideals?
Patient endurance attains it all.
She didn't wait around wishing things got better. She made the best of what she had and found the goodness. It's not about our circumstances; it's about our attitude and our abilities to see beyond our situation. A little magic (or luck) doesn't hurt when it comes, but she never relied on it. She used it when it came, but she didn't let it change her or transform her. She was grateful for it, but she stayed true to herself at her core, and that's the thing about something truly beautiful. Its light cannot be extinguished or covered up by anything, so she shone through the sadness and darkness. And won. 

The biggest win, though, was not marrying the prince. We demand justice when the oppressor is finally brought down, but here we learn of something bolder, something that required more courage and kindness than many of us can muster: forgiveness. The strongest line in the movie is "I forgive you." Delivered with the perfect amount of strength and sweetness and even a hint of innocence which whispers: "you did not destroy me."

Some have argued that Cinderella is a passive victim and not a strong role model for young girls, unlike Merida or Elsa, who break free from their oppressive lives to find who they truly are... But I disagree. Cinderella knew who she was from the beginning. She didn't need to break free to "find herself," and she didn't gain her worth from the struggle for others' acceptance of her ideals. Her strength came from within. What a refreshing view in a world that tells us that we are only valuable if others accept our views or agree with us or like us. 

I could go on, even into parallels with Christian morality... But my writing is rusty, and my time is limited.  

For some far more eloquent commentary and reflections, go here. 

(you won't regret it!)

On a mostly unrelated note...

Another movie I recently watched (this time without kids) was Interstellar. I know I'm totally late to the discussion, but I liked it, and I have so many thoughts about it. The big one is: if the earth does become uninhabitable, should we seek out other planets to live on? (Assuming the means to do that actually exist). Or should we just let the human race die? Honestly, I have way more questions than comments or answers, because of course I'm trying to fit this fictional world into a world that is consistent with my understanding of God and eternity. So assuming scientific plausibility, would it even be moral or ethical to seek out a whole new world? And to colonize it, if such a world exists? How does that fit in with our understanding of salvation? I don't think that seeking a new planet is morally wrong, but I also don't think it is necessary. I think the world will (and should) come to an end, and us with it, so that we can go on to the next life. I don't think that we should seek out to continue the human condition at all costs, because this existence is not our end goal. Of course without a belief in God and eternity, there is nothing beyond this life, so I understand the desire to continue humanity for all of eternity, but I believe the human story has a beginning, a middle, and an end. And the universe is a place that gives us awe and wonder and curiosity... And even the drive to explore and improve our human condition... But I also believe it is so vast and never fully attainable or comprehensible to us in our smallness. It isn't and wasn't meant to be. And I'm ok with that. Looking at pictures of space equally thrills and terrifies me. 

Tangentially, I do believe in the possibility of extraterrestrial life, even intelligent life, which then makes me wonder if God has a plan of salvation for them, wherever they are, if they exist, if they even need one. 

Anyway, the absence of God or faith in God in Interstellar makes it so that the only ones who can save humans are themselves (ourselves?). It's just a totally different kind of salvation. 

I know this blog is mostly for sharing my crafts and cakes, but if you have any thoughts/comments/answers about this stuff, please comment. I'd love to hear other people's ideas, especially about Interstellar, because I've searched for discussions about it but only find the science being discussed. Never the morality, and that is what interests me. 

Dance... Even when Everyone is watching

Ellie is in First Grade. So she's six-going-on-seven. In other words, she has entered what I like to call the "goofy kid stage," where they are stuck between being little kids and having to do big kid stuff like growing and losing teeth and learning to read and figuring out social cues...

And Ellie, oh Ellie... She is sweet, helpful, loving, bright, imaginative, independent, cuddly, quirky, and so very innocent. 

So at her school there is going to be a talent show. Each class picks 3 acts to send to the school-wide show. Teachers determine how the acts are chosen, and First Grade "auditions" took place this week. I got the email about it and a note in Ellie's folder, but she didn't show interest in this optional activity, so I figured she wouldn't participate. Until she got in the car yesterday and declared that she needed an act and was going to dance. Despite the fact that she didn't have a dance prepared or music picked out. "I have skills," she said. Despite the fact that her "skills" seem to be, um, late bloomers. "Ok!" I said, because what else would I say? Then I asked her which song she'd like and gave her the CD. I had my doubts but didn't let her see them. 

No practice, no planning, my girl was going to dance in front of her class of 22 students. All by herself. That takes courage. Pardon my crassness, but that takes BALLS. Or maybe just a healthy dose of blissful self-unawareness. I have seen her dance in the living room, and oh what I would have given to be a fly on the wall of that classroom today! 

I think that same lack of inhibitions allows her to have such a free-flowing imagination. She practically lives in her pretend world, only coming up for air into the real world when she has to. It also makes her absent-minded and flighty, but if those qualities shield her from the less pleasant parts of reality, I'll allow it. 

When I picked her up today, I asked her how her dance went. "Great!" She exclaimed, but then some darker parts of the story emerged, and my fears were confirmed. "Did your friends like it?" I asked. "Yes, but [two boys] laughed at me at the end." And made her cry. And made me want to cry because no one makes fun of my baby. Despite the unpleasant end of the story, however, her spirits and self-esteem seemed completely unaffected. She reported that the unkind kids had been reprimanded, so justice was served in her eyes, and that was it. End of story. She went on to play a game with Katie as I drove us home and pondered all these things in my heart. 

Ellie is brave. She is resilient. She is amazing. She doesn't care what others think about her (yet), and she is true to herself and her understanding of the way the world works. "They were rude!" she said, and deemed those kids unworthy of her time or friendship. 

Can she please stay this way forever?! Sure of herself, her goals, her ideals... Allowing herself to feel sadness or disappointment but not allowing those feelings to define her... Not overly concerned about what others think of her... Bold and brave and willing to show what she had to offer because SHE knew it was valuable, all nay-sayers (myself included) be damned! It was important to her, so she did it. And that was it. 

I am proud of her. And humbled by her. I wish I could be like her, see the world through her eyes. I know she is probably unaware of the lesson she taught me and even the significance of her choices today, but she is a light, and I will do everything I can to help her shine. My precious Ellie, you are such a treasure.