Wednesday I spent the afternoon and evening at Disneyland and California Adventure with my roommate. Just within the last 1 to 2 weeks the World of Color show came back to DCA (Disney's California Adventure). We were able to get fast pass tickets for the show and even weathered the rain to watch. Now, I've never seen the show; at least that I can recall.
As I stood in the middle of a group of Guests, wet from the rainy day, the show reminded me of a childhood inspiration. They played "Just Around the Riverbend", and it got me thinking about Pocahontas. She was my favorite Disney Princess growing up. I even dressed up as her for one Halloween. I digress. Her father starts the song saying how the smoothest course is what the river chooses to lead a long and happy life. Pocahontas disagrees. Thinking more in depth into her point of view, I realized that she's talking about a lesson that I have recently learned myself. Having smooth waters, being comfortable or complacent is not how we should live our lives. Change, adventure, bumps, and bruises are the true measure of a life well lived.
What a great message that I didn't realize I learned so young. Pocahontas also teaches tolerance, patience, and an understanding and awareness of the world and lives around her. She sees the beauty in the tiniest pieces of nature and people. As I sit here describing her, I realize that I have a lot in common with her, personality wise.
As I was thinking back on Pocahontas, I remembered another strong female from a Disney movie I idolized growing up; Esmeralda from The Hunchback of Notre Dame. An icon for beauty and a human rights advocate. She stands for the rights of humanity, that no matter what you look like, how you were raised, or your station in life, every person is a person who should be valued. Every life matters. She also stands up against the hierarchy, trying to change the status quo. The power squashing the "ants" of people they felt were less than them. While she doesn't end up with Quasimodo in the end, she shows him human kindness, understanding, and unconditional friendship. What a pioneer and a great role model for young girls.
More recently for me, Moana has been a inspiration for me. She feels, in her heart, that she has a higher purpose than to stay on her island and rule her people. For a time, she gets comfortable with complacency, doing what others want of her. When she realizes her destiny, she hesitates. Leaving home, going into unknown territory on her own; it's an extremely intimidating thought. She discovers that she has a strength inside of her she never knew she had, though others could see it. She also had a lot of patience with Hei Hei, and helped Maui not only fight Te Ka, but the demons that had been eating at him for thousands of years. Not to mention it was she who restored Te Fiti's heart. There is a little song she sings that I have taken to heart;
"They have stolen the heart from inside you; but this does not define you. This is not who you are. You know who you are. Who you truly are."
Sometimes I let the negative opinion others have of me bring me down. I get into this state of being that I hardly recognize myself; much like Te Ka. I try t grow a tough shell to not let anyone hurt me, while being emotional and sometimes destructive inside. So when Moana put the heart back, I discovered, I have that power too. I have the power to take back my heart and restore it. The best part is that when I use my heart to see who I truly am, it tells me the most amazing things. Often times my head will tell me otherwise, but I've always known in my heart I was meant for more.
There are so many strong women that live on in our minds; in art, books, stories. These women help shape us just as the women in our lives. When I think of other inspiring females I see Hermionie Granger, Mona Lisa, Scout Finch, Eowynn from the Lord of the Rings, Miss Frizzle. It's important to surround ourselves, and the next generation(s) with the strong role models. As a child I was just wanting to be like these characters. Now that I look back, I'm more like them than I could have ever imagined. My little self would be so happy.
Having strong women in our lives is important, but having the ones that we can't touch sometimes touch us in ways, we can't see.
Stay Sweet my friends!