Rise of the Guardian Lessons for Life

This weekend, we took the kids to the cheap theater to see Rise Of The Guardians.  Now, I’m a big fan of Santa Claus, The Easter Bunny, The Tooth Fairy, etc.  I love the spirit of wonder and awe that these characters embody and I am a Believer in all of them.  So after reading a handful of reviews warning against taking children to see this film for fear of lifting the curtain or prompting uneasy questions, I had some trepidation, but figured I had enough Belief with a capital B to deal with any repercussions.

As it turns out, those reviewers were out of their minds.  It was a great movie with wonderfully complex characters and a strong message for children about their own strength.  Basically, the same thing that I try to teach my own kids:  When you believe in something YOU give it power.  Whether we’re talking about Fairies, Santa, God, or your own talents, YOUR belief determines whether or not these things are real. 

Santa, Sandman, and Boogieman aside, the character that resonated most with me was Jack Frost.  We all know Jack.  He nips at our noses and causes us to grumble when we have to scrape our windshields but I’ve never given him much consideration outside of that.  As it turns out, Jack was a lost soul - wandering the earth questioning his value, his purpose, and feeling very alone and invisible in this world.  When called to take on the task of Guardian, those insecurities held him back.  It didn’t matter how many times he was told that he was good enough/strong enough/important enough to make a difference, he doubted himself.  Until!

Until that magical moment when he rediscovered his lost childhood memories.  Those memories told him who he was.  Where he came from.  That he was loved.  That he had a purpose!  As soon as he was able to truly see himself and recognize his own worth, he was suddenly visible to the world.  The children believed in him, so they could SEE him.

 So after the popcorn, as the credits rolled, my 4 year old shouted “Best Movie Ever!!!” for everyone in the theater to hear.  While I can’t say that it’s the best movie ever, I can definitely agree that it’s the Best Message Ever! for my kids.

You can’t know who you are until you know where you came from.  You can’t know your purpose until you know yourself.  You can’t truly love until you recognize that you’ve BEEN truly loved.  Sometimes these lessons come from our family and our friends, sometimes they come from fleeting moments with total strangers.  The important thing is to see it, recognize it, and file it away because the day will come when you will need to remember it so you can move forward.

Santa was cool.  The Easter bunny was tough.  The Tooth Fairy was sweet.  The Sandman was mysterious and wise.  But my wish for my girls is that they carry Jack Frost with them through life.  Remembering who they are, that they are capable and powerful and that they have Fun and Love in their hearts and that we Believe in them with a capital B.