Hi there,
It’s hard to ignore the Coronavirus. I’ve tried and I think it has been affecting my ability to write this blog. (It seems like a good excuse, anyway.)
As I sat down (two days late!) I thought of when I fell in love. Not with a man, but with stories!!
My first literary love was Peter Pan. There’s just something about a guy in green tights that really did something for me when I was a girl.
Or, maybe it was Peter Pan’s words to Wendy. He said,
“Wendy," Peter Pan continued in a voice that no woman has ever yet been able to resist, "Wendy, one girl is more use than twenty boys.”
It was a story about growing up and taking risks. A story about independence and choosing for yourself. But, most of all, it was a story about adventure.
“Would you like an adventure now, or would like to have your tea first?”
Wendy has two choices. She can stay where she is safe. Or, she can step outside into the cool night air and, well, FLY!
With some encouragement, she takes that step.
“The moment you doubt whether you can fly, you cease for ever to be able to do it.”
Another element I loved was the message of hope. Peter Pan looks fear square in the eye and says,
“All the world is made of faith, and trust, and pixie dust.”
Fear can paralyze us from moving forward and taking the risks we should take. The inability to trust make us keep our hearts closed. And, our lack of imagination and wonder keeps us from seeing the wonder of Creation. “All the world is made of … pixie dust.”
My hope in all this uncertainty is that we will not be afraid, but when we step out onto the streets, into our workplaces, that we are ready to fly.
The brilliance of J.M. Barrie is this:
“There is a saying in the Neverland that, every time you breathe, a grown-up dies.”
My hope is that we will remember our child-like faith and wonder. That we will see the world through our child-like eyes, and not our adult eyes.
My real hope is that every time we breath, a little piece of that cynical, skeptical, fearful, and mistrustful grown-up will die!
As Peter Pan said, “Second star to the right and straight on 'til morning.”
Until next time,
Ellie
PS - All quotes from J.M, Barrie’s Peter Pan & the photo is from Parade.com.