Have you ever gone back and watched movies from your childhood? Most of the childhood magic is now gone. Sure, there is some nostalgia, but when you watch these movies as an adult you start to notice plot holes that you never picked up on as a child. Tonight, my wife and I watched Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory as a way to remember the great Gene Wilder.
Just a few minutes into the movie you come to the song “Candy Man.” Watching that sequence as an adult isn’t quite as magical. Why is this business owner allowing all the kids to eat all of the candy for free? Why is this adult male hugging and touching all of these children? Why is Charlie the only child in the neighborhood that has to actually pay for his candy? Move forward to the point where Charlie comes home with the Golden Ticket, Grandpa Joe has been lying in that bed for who knows how long and the mother has been struggling to support him, her son and the three other grandparents. However, when Charlie has a golden ticket and says he wishes he could take Grandpa Joe to the chocolate factory, suddenly he can get up and start walking. Hey! Grandpa Joe, how about looking for a job? Then, in the song from that very sequence “I’ve Got a Golden Ticket,” Grandpa Joe sings: “I never had a chance to shine, never a happy song to sing, but suddenly half the world is mine, such an amazing thing…” So, wait, here is a man with a wife, a child, and a grandkid and he has never had a happy moment, until he gets to see how chocolate is made??? Grandpa Joe is kind of a jerk! Sorry. Have I ruined that movie for you? My wife thought I did.
How about some other childhood movies? Sleeping Beauty is only 15 when she meets her prince charming. Ariel, from The Little Mermaid, is only 16 when her father gives her away to a man she has only known for 3 days to marry and then live in what is essentially a different world. Way to go, King Triton a.k.a. Father of the Year. If you follow the math in Beauty and the Beast, the young prince was only 11 years old when the fairy cursed him to become the beast. The last pedal falls before his 21st birthday and in “Be Our Guest” they mention they have been like this for 10 years. So an eleven year old boy was cursed for not allowing a stranger into his house. Seems reasonable, right? Then you have one of my childhood favorites, “The Jungle Book.” Mowgli, a feral orphan child, who thinks he can talk to animals, is suddenly put into human civilization. Oh, I’m sure he will be just fine and live happily ever after? Ok! Ok! I’ll stop. I won’t talk about any more of your childhood favorites.
Think back; can you remember how awesome these things were when you were children? It all seemed wonderful, such a fantastic story. The truth is we just couldn’t understand the full reality. Once we can see it all and admittedly look at it somewhat cynically, it takes on a complete different nature. All you are left with is the realization that the magic isn’t real; in fact it was never real. It isn’t a pleasant reality to face but it is still reality. I look at the world now and sometimes I contemplate if there is any magic left at all, any of the wonder that once held me as a child. I watch movies now with the knowledge that I have to suspend disbelief in order to enjoy them. If I sit there and nitpick every little detail, it won’t be long until I can’t enjoy it at all, because I am too focused on everything that is wrong.
Where is the magic? Where is the awe? Where is the wonder? Yeah, you guessed it. God! God is the only thing I have found that it doesn’t matter how much I look into it. How much I try to dissect it. How deep I try and dig. The wonder, awe and beauty are still there. It doesn’t fade with scrutiny like everything else. Actually, the farther I go in my journey and the more I come to know about God the more in awe I am. The more he reveals to me the more I realize that it isn’t just smoke and mirrors. It is absolutely real. The master of the universe, the King of Kings, the Great I AM, is absolutely real and He loves me. He actually loves me. He truly cares. Half the people I work with, who I actually help through doing my job everyday don’t really care about me. They care that I show up to work, but that is pretty much the extent of it. Once they go home, I’m quite sure that I am the last thing on their mind. However, the One that created everything in the world and beyond, the One that controls the wind and rain, the One that said “Let There Be Light” actually cares about me and thinks about me all the time. Talk about awesome!
I know some people have reached a conclusion that God isn’t real, and would argue that if you look hard enough you will find that there is no God. However, if I may be so bold you didn’t look hard enough. You stopped short of the answer you were really looking for. You found what looked like a convenient solution and you stopped. If you truly follow any meaningful question through until you find the truth, you will always find God there. God is the creator of all things and all things point back to God. Just looking at the design of the world around me and how all things are specifically created to survive within their environments astounds me. Camouflage, venom, wings, speed, agility, intelligence, the ability to light up, heat sensors, electric receptors, electric emitters…the list goes on and on. No animal has all of these abilities; they all have the abilities they need to survive. Watching Discovery Channel shows about Africa and the wet and dry seasons and how the rain always seems to come at the exact moment it is needed, seeing the rainforest and it’s jaw dropping beauty and variety of life, all of these things are just amazing beyond description and further proof that when you are focusing on God the wonder never ends.
So, if you need a little bit of “magic” in your life, if you are looking for some awe and wonder, don’t try to recapture your childhood moments. I can nearly assure you that you will be disappointed. Those movies weren’t as good as you remember. Instead, look at God. Your sense of awe will be renewed every single time. If you try to do like the “Wizard of Oz” and peak at the man behind the curtain you will only find more amazement. Trust me, if you want magic, just go to God. I promise you He won’t let you down.
Wonderful. You are a gifted writer.
I am thankful for the awe and wonder of God.
Thank you, I appreciate it.