Having faith in the future

I have seen lots of films that made an impact on me in one way or another. But after studying Mass Communication for four years and learning the fundamentals of what a real movie is, it’s hard for me to come up with a film I can consider a work of art, without being critical about it.

The people in my life would have expected my favorite movie to be something out of a literary genre, a movie that could, or loosely, be based on some best-seller since I love to read.

But during one of my famous self-analyzing sessions (and rentals of all my favorite film genres), I never thought The Lion King would touch the child in me again.

Yes, I love cartoons, even if I also consider myself a little bit jaded. And I still consider that the Walt Disney empire is the best fuel to re-awaken the child in you.

I vaguely remember one of my older sisters’s comments on The Lion King when the film first came out . She said something about a scene in the movie and being reminded of our relationship with God. It was the scene when Mufasa, the king of Pride Rock was showing his young son, Simba the whole of their kingdom.

And Simba, curiosity filling him, asked about the land where the sun doesn’t shine. Mufasa, being the father that he is, sternly prohibited his son to go to that part of the pride lands because it is beyond their borders. Now, Simba, being the child that he was, full of curiosity and innocent arrogance commented, "I thought a King could do whatever he wants."

Mufasa just gently reminded him that being a king doesn’t mean you could do whatever you want. You have to have your limits. My sister said it didn’t matter to me that much then because I was young and naïve, like Simba.

But after watching the film again and after years of being somewhat delirious of my own problems, I never realized a simple yet profound scene in a kiddie movie could rock my already insane world.

You see, I have always asked why. I didn’t do it openly, but through mindless meanderings in my head. Why didn’t I have higher grades than my classmate? Why didn’t I get that doll? Why am I not part of the popular crowd? Why am I not pretty?

I had a nice childhood but with a kinda hard- to -rasp upbringing, well, to some people. My family brought me up with a strong foundation on faith, telling me that I should be smarter in class, and I should know how to make the right decisions especially because I’m good and Someone is watching over me.

But I didn’t get high grades, I didn’t get the doll, I wasn’t even part of the popular crowd while growing up and some people would consider me average looking. Heck!

I even made choices that I’m not particularly proud of. Still, seeing that scene again in a children’s movie (a well-loved children’s movie, mind you) told me in a simple and yet effective way that I shouldn’t be bitter about my past and ask for more than what I already have. I should be satisfied with what God has given me, both the good and the bad because if I didn’t experience those things while growing up.

I have always believed that without real life, movies wouldn’t be made, no actors or actress would be known. No movie crew would be losing sleep on a project and there would be no commercial success for the producers. Without real life, nothing would make us realize that there is no actual boundary between fiction and non-fiction.

And most of all without life, nothing would make us realize the trivial things we shouldn’t ignore everyday.

And like in the movie, when Simba came back after a long time of wallowing in self-pity. learning a new motto of "Hakuna Matata" and finally taking his place as the true King of the Pride Lands. I couldn’t shake off the parallelism in my life.

It made me realize that I should have no worries because everything happens for a reason. You just have to live and learn from it because surely, there is hope in this already bleary world, you just have to have faith, in the people around you, in God, and most especially yourself because He has big plans for you. He is just making sure that you are prepared for it.

Now, I know what my sister was talking about at that time.