Growing up one of the books I read again and again was A Wrinkle In Time. I loved the fantasy elements and the whole good vs. evil thing. Meg was a young woman who had her flaws, her doubts, but managed to triumph in the end. I saw a lot of myself in her. My daughter has fallen in love with the book as well and with everything that is going on in her life right now (Bullies Suck), this movie was just what she needed, what we both needed. It reminded me that light is more powerful than the darkness. That even when I feel like I can't, I have what it takes inside of me that can.
When I thought about sharing what we thought, I just kept landing on why kids need to see A Wrinkle In Time. Younger children might be a little frightened, at the end there is a dark moment that could be kind of intense. My eight year old would like the movie but the deeper messages might fly over his head. Ages 10 and up I believe would not only enjoy the movie but also leave with a sense of determination to be a warrior for good.
Representation
Strong women, intelligent children and adults, different ethnicities, a mixed family, and even adoption. A Wrinkle In Time is a film that shows us being different shouldn't drive us apart, but bring us together. It quietly celebrates the richness of diversity and as someone in a mixed family, it was great to see another major movie showing our kids couples that look like us. Thank you Disney for consistently being a trailblazer here.
Bullies and Self-Esteem
Tears came to my eyes as I watched Meg deal with bullies and self-doubt. My daughter is currently dealing with bullies at school and as my heart has broken for her, it broke for Meg. But this movie deals with both of these issues in an honest and ultimately beautiful way.
It can be easy to let the darkness inside of your heart. You can begin to believe the lies that people are saying and let it consume the real you. Meg at first starts down this path. She is dealing with a lot and the mean girls at school compound on it all.
But love drives out hate. Charles Wallace loves Meg, and Calvin respects her in a way that no other kid at school does. They believe in her even when she doesn't believe in herself. Their love and the love she has for her family, pushes her to achieve the impossible- facing down the darkness and saving the world.
Meg doubts herself, she's closed herself off because of the pain inflicted by life. Haven't we all. The Mrs. have a few lessons for her, and us too if we are paying attention.
Two quotes resonated with me and I have carried them in my heart since seeing the film. Mrs. Who says “The wound is the place where the light enters you.” And it is such a profound statement. When we are wounded by others or our own negativity, it is easy to let it fester and spread throughout our soul. But what if we chose instead to let the light enter, to let it heal. How much would we be better off as people if we opened ourselves to the healing aspects of the light?
Meg wishes she could return to Earth as someone else, a more perfect version of herself. How many times have you or I looked in the mirror and wanting something to be different. Weight, hair, nose, height, we all have an aspect of ourselves we desperately want to change. But why? It's because, like Meg, we don't see the bigger picture. We are blinded to it. Let the words of Mrs. Which open your eyes.
“Do you know how many millions and millions of events had to occur as they did in order for you to be exactly the way you are?”
It's time to stop letting others dictate who we are. It is time to truly accept who we are and step into the light.
An Important Lesson
Yes, kids need to see A Wrinkle In Time and we adults need to as well. This movie is for the young and the young-at-heart. It is for the dreamers and the warriors. It is for everyone who needs a reminder that our faults can be beautiful, life is not about being perfect, but accepting who you are. And in the end, all of us who are willing to face the darkness can be warriors for the light.
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A Wrinkle In Time is in theaters tomorrow, March 9th 2018!
