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So! Get your rotten tomatoes ready, ’cause you’re going to want to throw them at me after my little poemy rant about fairytales last week. Now, I didn’t mean to do this. It wasn’t even MY idea. At church yesterday our best friends asked if we wanted to go to the movies. Seems Mark had an itch to see a certain film. We didn’t hesitate. Had been a while since we’d been to the movies. But his choice caught me totally of guard. He wanted to see Cinderella. Yes, the one that was just released on Friday.
Now, we never go to movies opening weekends. I hate fighting crowds. The one exception for me was Fellowship of the Rings Christmas 2001. So I was more than a little surprised at Mark’s choice. But we’re good sports, so off to the Cineplex we went. I must admit that secretly I was agog over those lovely, sparkly shoes from the commercials. (Have I mentioned I was a crow in a previous life?)
Long story short, after my snarky comments about fairytales, and Cinderella in particular (see Fairytale), I quite liked the movie. It wasn’t as imaginative as last year’s Maleficent (but then THAT movie had a glorious dragon!). In fact, this Cinderella was pretty much the original Disney version clothed in flesh with a minor tweak here and there.
My blood sugar started to rise with the repetition of the Cindy’s mom’s words to her daughter as she (mom) lay on her deathbed: “Always be kind, always be brave, always be full of courage.” It sounded a bit like the sign off at the end of a Garrison Keilllor radio show: “Be well, do good work, and keep in touch.”
After that the story went on as expected until right near the end when, to my delight, they eschewed the whole happily-ever-after thing in favor of a new motto: The greatest risk a person can take is to let others see them for who they really are. OMG! I wanted to stand up and cheer, but I was sitting between his lordship and Amy, both of whom would have bopped me on the head. So, not being a fan of blood sports, I kept my mouth shut and just grinned from ear to ear.
When all is said and done, my hat is off to Disney studios for actually sending a positive message instead of a lot of romantic drivel. The movie itself was a colorful feast for the eyes. Lily James (Rose on Downton Abbey) was beautiful as Cinderella, and Richard Madden (lately of Game of Thrones fame) made a great handsome prince. Kate Blanchett proved once more that she has time time traveled from the golden days of Hollywood (she is so glamorous), but Helena Bonham Carter took the prize as the fashion coordinating fairy godmother.
The take away from the movie? “The greatest risk a person can take is to let others see them for who they really are.” Now that’s an ending I can live with because I truly believe it. And it takes a hell of a lot of courage to do.
But I still think the shoes were the star of the show!
Impromptu Promptlings 
Every time I come to your blog I go back enriched! Thanks to Plato’s Groove the comment section can also be very enlightening.
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(Other times it can be very scary!!! LOL) I agree that he is an amazing teacher.
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By your leave mylady . . .
“The greatest risk a person can take is to let others see them for who they really are.”
What if that is the Romance? What if we are both the Prince and the Princess, and the Romance, the quest is the uniting and consummation of our Soul with itself? Maybe happily ever after is not meant for the Outside life. But the presence of the longing and the idea of it hints that there is some resolution to it. Perhaps Disney misdirected the impulse Outside and the real task is for Us to let Ourselves know who we really are. The stepmothers and weak fathers and the incantations and the witches and agreements and all Other Outside forces which work to keep us divided is that which must needs be overcome. We have given our power over to our false selves and attachments which fear enforces, and dread guards all exits. We are shut out and imprisoned by lack of knowledge of the Truth of ourselves, and belief with faith in the falseness of the lie. Love casts out fear. Truth sets us free. We will be led into all truth. But there is always a wilderness before the Promised land, a revelation and apocalypse before the consummation, an awareness of ignorance before wisdom, tears must exist before they can dried and be no more, a dragon to be fought before the princess can be joined with her prince. I think this is real but the drama is played out in us. Perhaps when we know ourselves having overcome the fear then we will never again be alone. Then perhaps we might share ourselves with one or others who have also overcome.
Part of my issue with even the church is that it seems to teach (much like Disney) that Jesus will someday if we are good enough or sacrifice enough or give enough or something enough that he will wave his magic cross over us and we will get fixed. Something outside us will come and rescue us. But rereading his teaches seem to indicate something else. The first thing he did after the baptism was not walking on water but to go out in the desert and talk to the devil. Solitude. I was never taught that. I was taught that I would be “saved” through my compliance to the Outside. Jesus seemed to say very different stuff. That seeking death (of the false) was the way to life. Awaking up, overcoming fear, saying no to power, following the way he went leads to our salvation not waiting on him to come do it for you. His first miracle was making wine at a wedding. The last chapter in his story ends with him popping a cork at his own wedding where the bride and groom finally consummate their intentions and satiate all longing.
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That is really a mouthful. I’m glad you posted it and really glad you added the second paragraph. I feel what you’re saying. It’s just right there in front of me but my vision is blurry. I’ve lived on stories all my life. I wish I could figure out how to work my way through it in story form…
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There are lots of mirrors
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And how does one use mirrors to tell a story, pray tell?
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All stories are mirrors I think
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What I meant though was that we percieve ourselves projected in the other and get entangled or trapped in the reflection as though it is us. But I can’t comb the hair I see in the mirror. As long as I try I will be frustrated. Guess I’m Buddhist now. 🙂
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Right. I get it. Just a little slow on the uptake sometimes. 🙂
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Don’t give up on me, I’ll get it all straight sooner or later. THEN maybe I’ll write you ONE of those stories! ❤
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Interesting. As a Lutheran (I’m not a fan of denominations), we believe that we are “saved” (another word I don’t like) through grace by what God has done, and not by what we have done. P.S. I’m also interested in Buddhism.
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I like martin. By grace…
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The grace says we are already accepted. The lie says we are not
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We need to be able to experience grace on a very personal level before we can share the blessing of what it is with someone else. It’s finding that space for grace in our lives that’s difficult sometimes.
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I know. I think sometimes it happens after we tell somebody to kiss our ass that needed telling and God say “Finally! I was wondering how long you were going to put up with that?”
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LOL Well THAT was an unexpected perception! 😉
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Very nice my friend!
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