Life is Sailing

It was a hot day outside and the beginning of a holiday weekend. Our family needed desperately to get out of our small lodging. Other than going to the pool, what could we do that kept us cool? My husband and I decided to treat our children to a movie theater experience of the live-action “How to Train Your Dragon”. Our children have not seen many movies in theater. As a matter of fact, it was the first movie a couple of them had ever seen in theater. We bought the enormous bucket of popcorn and a large drink. The taste of salty theater popcorn just seems to go with the whole movie experience. We snuck into the darkened room a few minutes after the movie began, bowing to try to avoid bothering other viewers.

Settled into our seats, the munching began. Handful after handful shoveled into their mouths, especially the youngest. Since his eyes were glued open to absorb the vibrant action, I had to remind him several times to remember to blink. Mesmerized! As much as I enjoyed the movie (which I do highly recommend), my attention returned to this youth engrossed in the world of the movies. Never before had he seen such a large screen. He seemed transported to a different world, to the landscape of Iceland where the movie was filmed, a land full of dragons and risks and adventure, a story with struggle and triumph. In a serious scene, I watched as my son shared the emotions of the characters. His eyes became glassy, his bottom lip trembled, his heart pain was visible on his face. This boy, so full of passion and temper, felt the pain of others. When the situation resolved happily, I saw a visible wave of relief and joy wash over his countenance.

I have learned not everyone has these connections with movies. What is it about someone that allows for such an intense connection with the story on the screen? To feel the emotions as if one were actually a part of the story itself? It is fascinating to watch my children watching the world.