Last Sunday, we all set out to a local cinema to watch High School Musical 3. My daughter had turned 12 during the week. She had asked to go and see it, in lieu of our traditional meal out.
As we sat munching our popcorn, we were faced (again) with Troy Bolton's (and the other cast members) journey of who am I ? Should I follow my own dreams? What are my dreams?
And will my parents be crushed if I choose my own path?
Riveting stuff...the lesson was a good one.
As a Christian, a mother, woman, wife and as a home schooler, in the early days I sometimes fell into the trap of admiring somebody else and set about trying to emulate their persona. It is tiring, uninspiring and guaranteed to end in failure.
If I didn't wear myself out trying, then sooner or later the person whom I was copying, came crashing down from the pedalstall I had put them on, and all of a sudden my little world was rocked.
These days I am learning the art, of listening to my heart beat....
It is ok to be different.
It is ok to be an individual.
It is ok to follow your heart.
It is ok if your 'shape' looks different from the 'shapes' around you.
As a society we like that which is similar to us, we are drawn to it. And there is nothing wrong with that either- unless it causes us to compromise the uniqueness of who/what we were created to be.
It is more and more important in this day and age, to draw aside and listen to the heart beat, that was woven within for you, knitted together while you were still in your mother's womb by a mighty God.
And often when you do that, you will find, that you begin to walk a road less traveled. You swim against a raging current.
And that is ok, because if you listen carefully, tune your ear, you can hear your hear beat, loud and strong above the crushing thong of the world around you, and there in that moment, you will be at peace.
Do you ever feel alone in this world, for being truly you? Or are you comfortable in your own skin?
by mrs violet
Comments (10)
I loved HSM3.
I think the lesson you extrapolate from it is true.
I think another one is the way that Vanessa Hudgen's character functions redemptively in the community. Without their being aware of it, she was salt and light there, and drew the best out of everyone.
But maybe the most important lesson was the characters' ability to see even their enemies as members of the same community, and as people. It might be taking it too far to say that they saw the image of God in their enemies, but they certainly continued to show an appropriate level of high school love to them. You can see this in the way that the gay choreographer boy is gradually incorporated into the group, and the way that even at her worst, the rich blond girl is welcomed in things like the graduation ceremony.
Good post.
-NDSR
I wasn't a big fan of the third movie but I agree with the message since I'm still debating on my future aspirations
- I agree with the whole "individuality" thing but sometimes its just hard to try to be different when anyone can be anything.
I'm fine in my own skin, I have my own little clan of friends and although I may not be known to other people, I feel fine being able to be someone with my pals.
my personality is riddled with what a lot of people see as contradictions. i wear rather colorful clothing but like darker music. i'm studying archaeology and preparing to enlist. i'm Christian and bisexual. i've learned to deal with it, and to choose my friends more wisely. life is too short to surround yourself with people who don't love every aspect of you.
I'd love to see this movie, haven't gotten to yet. I think there are times that I feel alone....I have the pressure to do or be someone in life that other people will think is "doing something" you know....actually being successful in life. It's hard to know what I should do if I have to worry about what other people will think of me. It's one of the hardest things in my life right now as I look toward college and beyond...
I really liked this quote "And often when you do that, you will find, that you begin to walk a road less traveled. You swim against a raging current. And
that is ok, because if you listen carefully, tune your ear, you can
hear your hear beat, loud and strong above the crushing thong of the
world around you, and there in that moment, you will be at peace.."
It's a great metaphor for the struggle to become an individual. What better way to describe it than that. Thanks for adding that, it made me smile. :)
This post reminds of Robert Frost's poem The Road Less Traveled
This is a great post, and I think its so important to listen to our heart which beats are designed specifically with their own rhythm by God. I'm learning this lesson now. I have many role models (adult role models) - They're positive, enlightening and simply marvelous people. I adore them greatly and a few years younger, I wanted to be just like them, and I'd attempt to try to be all the time. However I'm learning that I can look up to and admire their Christ-like qualities and spiritual gifts and guidance that they extend, but God has plans especially and specifically for me, he gave me my own gifts to share with the world, my own personality, my own qualities. And it's important to start developing these.
"
Two roads diverged in a yellow woodAnd sorry I could not travel both
And be one traveler, long I stood
And looked down one as far as I could
To where it bent in the undergrowth
Then took the other as just as fair
And having perhaps the better claim
Because it was grassy and wanted wear
Though as for that, the passing there
Had worn them really about the same
And both that morning equally lay
In leaves no step had trodden black
Oh, I kept the first for another day!
Yet, knowing how way leads onto way
I doubted if I should ever come back
I shall be telling this with a sigh
Somewhere ages and ages hence
Two roads diverged in a wood
And I took the one less traveled by
And that has made all the difference"
I haven't gotten to see the movie just yet, but your writing is inspiring. It is true, we are living in a world full of copy cats. Not many true individuals are here. But I agree with what you wrote. Great job!
=D
@papillonquotes@xanga - I hope I haven't spoilt the plot for you in anyway. Thanks for your encouragement about my writing, that is very thoughtful of you. Even those who claim to be different these days fall into alternate crowds like everyone else who is different. Far better just to be you and be TRULY different !
@losingtolove@xanga - That is a great poem, I don't know that I have read much Frost, thanks for sharing it. The lessons you are learning sound really positive. It is easy in the Body of Christ to look at somebodies ministry and try to emulate it, but really we are cheating ourselves out of what God has for us, which ultimately it means we are cheating the Body as well. Thanks for your thoughts they were very encouraging.
@brickmelinda@xanga - Hiya, thanks for the encouragement, I think that quote grew out of a life time of feeling like that. I find as a home schooler and as a Christian, married to a non-Christian, I have had to swim very much against pretty well every conventional tide there is in those circles.
It has made my week that it made you smile. It makes hard times worth while.
@Stephanie_J_B@xanga - I agree you are in a hard, yet also one of the most exciting seasons of your life. I made the mistake, of not following my heart at university. I was very much a Troy Bolton. I am sure if you ask God for wisdom at this time, he will provide it for you. Thanks again for your comments.
@too_pretty_to_die@xanga - I understand that to a degree EVERYBODY needs people on their side. On the other hand some of the people who have stayed with me the longest are those that to begin with treated me more like enemies. After a while it was like iron sharpening iron and we wore each other down, they are now some of my closest friends. Sometimes we learn a lot more about others and ourselves when they don't all love and agree with us.
@lesliexia@xanga - I actually liked the 3rd movie much better than the candy coated second one (I have two daughters who are mad on it all). Give it time, you will find your own skin, sometimes we have to shed it a couple of times like a snake before we get there. In some ways, some of it gets a lot easier to do with age, just because peer groups may not be as intense and we often have jobs, courses, dreams that take us away from all our support networks. Nice to meet you.
@sirnickdon - I really loved that about community and Hudgen's character. It spoke volumes to me about how as Christians our place in the Body of Christ is so vitally important. All of us are called to be that to both our Christian family and the world at large. She nearly allowed her own hurts and fears to drive her decisions and if she had of, the blessing she and others would have experienced would have been far less. I think I feel another blog coming on lol.
Thanks for your thoughts mate.
@mrsviolet - Thank you for taking the time to reply to my comment! I appreciate your thoughts!
Thank you! And I agree, thats why when I buy clothes. I buy basic pieces so I can mix and match them to my own style! Thank you for the add by the way, and don't worry you haven't spoiled anything, I am sure it will be good. =D
Have a great day!