Why I Believe in Fairytales

Remember growing up listening to your parents read you fairytales and watching the movie Peter Pan? Or Aladdin? It seems like for us 90s kids especially, Disney movies were an essential part of our childhood. When I was watching TV the other day, Sleeping Beauty came on. I admit that even as a huge Disney fan, I hadn't seen this movie in at least five years. So I decided to watch it. It's a short movie, so I figured, "why not?" During the movie, one of my friends I was with (you know who you are :D) suddenly burst out "Disney princesses give girls unrealistic expectations." I wanted to respond with something that agreed and disagreed at the same time, because like most things in life, there are grey areas. 

And after our short conversation, my mind flooded with thoughts.

I'm aware that movies like Sleeping Beauty are far from reality. Obviously, there's a reason why these movies are called "fairytales". Of course they aren't real. But does that mean that we can't take something of value from them? No. And does that mean that Disney (or fairytales in general) gives children and adults like me who grew up with these stories the wrong idea about life? No - as long as I have at least some sanity. 

Fairytales aren't unrealistic, where protagonists always get their way and don't have hardships. I would argue that fairytales actually expose real-life hardships.

I'd also venture to say that a fairytale's greatest lesson is that true love conquers all.

Think about Ariel from The Little Mermaid. She had a beautiful voice. She was a princess; she had it all. But she gave up her voice. She walked in pain with every step she took. And she tried to find the man she loved even though she knew it was a difficult dream to fulfill.

Remember the Fox and the Hound? Two friends, happy as could be. They grew up together. They played together. But once they grew up, they were told to hate each other. In the end, though, they realized their friendship was more important than prejudices they were "supposed to have".

Prince Charming searched the kingdom for Snow White before he rescued her from a deep sleep. Prince Phillip and the Beast put their lives on the line to save their beloved from danger. And Elsa was able to save Anna because of her love for her sister. I could go on.

So how are fairytales different from reality? Sure, maybe they over-exaggerate in certain aspects. But they show the nitty gritty. Nobody but Belle cared about the Beast. After all, who could care for a beast - or anyone unattractive and mean? (Raise your hand if you feel convicted like me.)

Reality is that life is messy. It's never perfect. But when you have people in your life whom you love and who love you right back, it's a little bit easier to make it through each day. And it's what we are called to do as Christians. True love, which springs from Christ, conquers fears, anger, that roller-coaster called life, and culture's loud "voice" on love and beauty. 

So to those "skeptics" out there who don't buy into fairytales, maybe it's time you do.

Living an imperfect life

Welcome to 2015, Hannah.

That's what I kept saying to myself as I kept checking my blog every so often, getting a pang of regret every single time I saw that my last post was last year in 2014.

When I think about 2014, I think about how challenging of a year it was. In hindsight and on a surface level, it was really great. At the same time, it was one of the most difficult times I'd ever been through spiritually. I'd struggled with a lot of busyness and self-doubt in my mind and in my heart, wondering what I was doing with my life and constantly trying to please everyone and be everything all at once. I really beat myself up when I failed and didn't consider those failings to be really who I was.

Then I remembered, early this year, that my identity is not found in what I do, what I like or even in my best of friends or my amazing family. These are all good things, but they're definitely not what make us who we are.

If you're a Christian, you find your identity in Christ.

What does that look like, though? It's easy to say we should put our identity in Christ, but it's harder to actually make it happen.

Here's the key: you can't.

Jesus wants us to be more like Him each and every day, and the only way we can do that is by following Him. By following Him and being in His presence, by choosing to do what most people wouldn't, and by faithfully sitting at His feet knowing that we have absolutely nothing outside of Him.

We find our identity in Christ not because we deserve it, but because He so graciously gives Himself to us over and over again. When He died on the cross for us and defeated death, He gave Himself up for us. And every day He's calling us to just sit at His feet and be. Still right there for us.

It doesn't mean we should use our screw-ups as an excuse to continue sinning, be lazy or do things half-heartedly, but it does mean that we shouldn't beat ourselves up over messing up. Jesus still loves us and wants to continue setting us apart from the world each and every day.

Here's one thing I try to remember when I still tend to want to please people or be "perfect".

Going through the motions doesn’t please You,
    a flawless performance is nothing to You.
I learned God-worship
    when my pride was shattered.
Heart-shattered lives ready for love
    don’t for a moment escape God’s notice.

-- Psalm 51:16-17 (The Message) --