It’s a movie day.
Mara and Robbie watched a Baby Einstein while they ate breakfast, and now they’re almost through “Finding Nemo.” And it’s not even 11:00…
Didactic Disney
The Disney movies are almost all didactic; I don’t like all the lessons they try to teach, but in the Nemo case I do. Dorie and Marlin are the example, the dichotomy through the movie. Marlin is anxious, nervous, stressed, fearful, paralyzed. Dorie is happy-go-lucky, adventurous, inquisitive, good-natured, joyful.
The Dichotomy
Marlin remembers every hurt, every pain, every fear realized.
Dorie forgets.
Marlin nurses his wounds, counts his scars, and resents.
Dorie accepts what comes her way, forgets the details, and sees life as an adventure.
Of course, the plot is set up so Marlin learns the lesson:you have to let go. You have to take risks to live life. You’ll get hurt, but getting hurt isn’t the end… unless you make it so.
Which Half Are You?
Do you forget the hurts, offenses, pains? The details that don’t matter? Do you let go of the disappointments and just hold on to the fact that when you’re with the ones you love, you are home?
Or do you cling to the past? Do you surround yourself with walls? Do you shut yourself in tighter and tighter? Do you work so hard at keeping yourself and the ones you love safe that you keep them away from life?
It’s Okay to Look Stupid.
Dorie is silly. She makes mistakes. She looks stupid sometimes (okay, a lot of the time). She is vulnerable. But she is alive and real and she has fun.
I’d rather look stupid and have fun than spend all my time trying to lock everything down, stressing out over being in control.
Robbie is snotty and cranky because his 2-year molars are coming through. Mara is snotty and cranky because… well, I don’t know why. There are baskets of laundry to put away, and more to wash. Dinner is looking like hot dogs. I just cleaned the house yesterday and it’s already dirty…
Time to Let Go
I’m going to be a little more like Dorie today. I’m going to forget about the details. So what if the kids watch too many movies today? We’ll snuggle on the couch while they do. So what if dinner isn’t some healthy, gourmet concoction? We’ll be together while we eat it.
Sing instead of stressing. Laugh instead of complaining. Come on, you can do it.
Image courtesy of prudencebrown121.
Funny I should read this right now as I sit among the Christmas aftermath, still not cleaned up. It is starting to stress me out. I am trying to decide if I should make a wild blaze thru the house or should enjoy a Sunday with my family. What would Dorie do?
Marci, lol – I think that might be a common question for me in the new year: what would Dorie do? It’s a balance isn’t it? Sometimes you need to dig in and get things done… sometimes you need to go with the flow.