This blog is starting with a bit of Disney Pixar talk... yep, I'm being that girl.
It's not just the red hair that makes me love the film Brave, nor the Scottish accents or even the adorable "wisps". There's something about Merida that I am envious of, something about her I aspire to be.
She is unapologetically herself and she is adventurous, but she isn't fearless...
If you haven't seen the film (watch it) I won't give anything away, but watching how she handles mistakes, stands up to people and stays true to who she is leaves me longing to be that kind of person.
To live courageously and honestly.
There's something about the heroes and heroines in films and stories that intentionally make us want to be like them; to save the day, to crush people's expectations and to win the damn fight. Now, obviously the characters are fictional... but aside from willing to do more than we usually are, they also have an incredible ability to not care what people think, or to always let that be a driving force rather than something that debilitates them.
As I'm getting older I'm getting more and more annoyed at myself for letting things stop me trying to achieve what I want to achieve. People's opinions, my lack of effort or drive, the "fear". I'm getting so irritated by it that I might actually be moving toward just getting on and trying all the things I wanted to do (!!). Time gets faster as the years come and go and I know before I know it another 20yrs will have gone by where I haven't achieved anything I've wanted to if I don't change my mind set.
There's something about Merida (back to the Disney reference) that inspires me more than Wonder Woman (great film and would totally LOVE to be her). And it's that it's slightly more real...
...stick with me, I'm aware it's a fictional film with magic and human/bear people. At the beginning of the film she's fierce because of her independence and reluctance to do as she's told just because that's "how it works" but as the film progresses, and as I mentioned before, Merida grows through owning up to her mistakes, working to put them right, and being bold and courageous in the face of fears and hurt.
The older the get the more I realise you have to fight bloomin hard for the person you want to be and I don't know about you but I'm a bit done with my apathetic attitude towards that.
Hold me to it, and I'll hold you to it - and let's get some of the stuff done we want to get done yeah?
Cheers Merida - you're a (fictional) babe.
Yours faithfully,
Jen
