A Little Princess - My Favorite Movie

I talk about a lot of movies that I love and have listed quotes from many on my blog, but there is one movie that pulls at my heart strings every time I watch it: A Little Princess. Frances Hodgson Burnett wrote the 212 page novel. There is a black and white, Shirley Temple original version, but I prefer the movie made in 1995 with Liesel Matthews that plays Sara Crewe. It is a movie that moves me. The very fact that the movie depicts parts of India's epic story of love named Ramayana made me magnetized, as I learned that story as a child. It captures the essence of goodness, the possibility of imagination, hope, love and the fruition of a beautiful fairy tale for little girls probably from six years old on up.

The main character is Sarah Crewe, a lovely, learned, imaginative, affectionate, and kind young girl residing in India. Her English father places her in a U.S. boarding school as he leaves for the war. Her experiences at the school are hard, but little Sara brings back something I feel our society has lost in the hearts of children - the pure-ity of affection, thoughtful comments, awareness of others and a sincerity in speech that literally brings tears to my eyes. The tears come down faster each time I watch the movie over the years. I used to wonder why I couldn't get past the tears, and today I realized why.

This afternoon I watched this magical movie with my daughter. She's nowhere near ready to sit down through a full length feature film, but I still put the show on. As I sat and watched the movie, knowing every bit of each scene, I still felt the water surge up into my eyes. My heart became heavy and a lump formed in my throat. I looked at my daughter climbing up my lap, delicately wiping tears from my eyes and said "uh-ohh? Awwww...." to me. How thoughtful, I thought. How precious and pure of my daughter to do that. I realized then what it was all these years that made me just adore this movie. Her father called her a princess and though she had the wealth to be a princess, Sara 's message was much deeper in meaning.

The title princess didn't refer to the monetary wealth or possessions that most of us immediately believe real princesses have through society's description. Being a princess was about the richness that we have from our hearts, regardless of our status in this world. It is about good treatment of others, consideration of all beings in life, and getting through the hardships with a gentler attitude, never giving up hope on the magical-ness of life. The movie simply took me back to the basics and, in it's own way, asked me to stick to them because that is what is true and good in life. That is what it's all about at the end, and that is exactly where I want to be.

One of my favorite moments in the movie?

From the words of Sara Crewe to her headmistress Miss Minchin:

"I am a princess. All girls are. Even if they live in tiny old attics. Even if they dress in rags, even if they aren't pretty, or smart, or young. They're still princesses. All of us...".

If what she says is right, then I guess that makes me a princess. I learn something new everyday, eh? Wait till my husband comes home and finds out he's married to a princess. :)

Take a peek at the movie! If you have any girls, I sincerely suggest this great movie to be a part of your dvd collection (especially if you want them to learn great manners and thoughtful behavior)!

A Love Note to The Man of My Dreams - My Husband

I love you. I love you more today than the first time I laid my eyes on you. I love you for being an ass. I love you for trying not to be an ass. I love your earlobes and I love the tip of your nose. I love your forearms and I love your lips. I love laughing with you till we both cry. I love that you can wear a beard and I still think you are hot. I love when you cover my eyes when the television shows something that would upset me. I love how you shake your toes to music that's not even there. I love watching you love the daughter we created together. I love the look in your eye when you want to tell me you love me. I love that after almost 12 years together you still chase me around the room to tackle me at the end. I love you for loving me...all of me...my bad side, my good side, my emotional side, my stupid side, my crabby side, my I-just-want-to-fight-for-no-reason-at-all side, my Phoebe side, my Rachel side and my Monica side. I love that you are a combination of Ross, Chandler and Joey. I love that you love my cat. I love that you take out the garbage. I love that you get me. I love the cards you buy and the treasure hunts you give me for my gifts. I love your Burt Reynolds laugh. I love playing air guitar in the car with you. I love playing Guitar Hero III with you. I love how you think you are a rock star now. I love being your groupie. I love 'musical nights' where we talk in rhyme and belt out a ridiculous song. I love that you are my best friend.

But most of all...

I love you for loving me

the way I am.

This song is for you:

PRAYING FOR TIME

Earlier this week I watched American Idol. This week they were supposed to sing a song that was inspirational to them. Jason Castro's selection and performance was my favorite, as well as David Archuleta's. After the show was over I sat in my bedroom and remenisced about a song that was the most inspirational to me, leaving a big impression in my heart after hearing it. I didn't have to think long. It was a song that came from George Michael's "Listen Without Prejudice" cd. The song was called Praying for Time. I remember hearing the song when I was in Atlanta living with my parents for some time back in 1994. I was in a very dark place at that time, counting my days and wondering my purpose in life. I popped the cd in the player and that song caught my attention and gave me goosebumps. All of a sudden I felt extremely emotional, but the emotion wasn't about the pity party I was having for me. The emotion was felt for a grander scale of life and all of us in it. When I heard the words and the way George Michael sang that song...I actually cried for G-d. I cried because that was the 1st time I realized how much He loves all of us and how many of us never really know that deep inside. That was the 1st time I began to connect with Him. That was the first time I picked up a Bible and actually got the 'thou, thee, thy' stuff. I tried reading that book so many times before, but I guess I wasn't ready for it, until that one dark day where G-d crept into my room and whispered "today is the day". I have been staying in contact with Him ever since and have had a newfound love and passion for life, regardless of any setbacks that come my way. Back in my bedroom, I sighed and thought "someone should sing that song on the show".

Last night, I watched "American Idol Gives Back". The show was a great show, filled with great words and great meaning. I obviously felt sad to see so many human beings in and outside the U.S. without the simple necessities that we probably have and take for granted. Then at one point the stage opened to Carrie Underwood. The moment I heard the 1st note she sang I had the chills. She sang the very song I was just remeniscing about. Wow. What an appropriate song, I thought. She sang it well, but I still stand behind the George Michael version. He sang it with so much passion. You'll have to hear it. What a great moment. The thought that crossed my mind came to life and out to the public through Carrie Underwood's great performance. Coincidence? Probably not....

I hope you can get the song, even the cd (it's worth it) and listen to it.

Watch and listen:

A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Grocery Store

Last week I took a trip to the grocery store with my little mini-me. We walked together hand in hand until we got inside and I whooshed her like a supergirl flying in the air right into her cart seat. Away we went...humming along, humming a song and looking for some organic veggies and fruits for the week. Then I heard something. I heard someone faintly call my name. I looked at my daughter with a puzzled look and slowly kept carting along, thinking I just heard things. Then I heard it again. It was a female voice that called out my name. I swung my head around and looked behind me and all around me. "WHAT??" I thought. Who is calling me? I looked around again and really paid attention. Maybe it was a friend that was hiding behind a counter. Maybe it was my husband with a fake voice just trying to freak me out. No. It can't be. He's at work. What the hell? I kept on, but now I'm seriously wondering if I'm hearing things. I looked at my daughter and just as I started to say "I swear, I think I'm hearing things" I heard it again. This voice sounded so faint, but it was calling my name the same way and accent as my Mom would. My Mom...who's been in Heaven for 3 years now. I haven't heard my name spoken in that accent for YEARS, and now I am hearing this faint female voice calling out my name in a grocery store.

"Hel-lo" I heard from the faint voice again. I swung around like a stealthy ninja, seeking out the person who was playing this sick joke. No one was around us. Then I looked at my daughter, who was repeatedly saying the word 'app-le' to herself and having eternal bliss over absolutely everything around her. I took a deep breath and then thought "M--o--m?" Nooo. Ma couldn't be calling me from H-town, could she? NAH. But really...maybe she is. What if it is my Mom? Holy cripes. If my Ma is trying to get my attention, HOLY #$%!! How do I respond? OMG I'm gonna cry. I miss her so much. My Ma has always been 'in touch' with me through her signs or through dreams, but I never thought I'd get to actually talk to her! Finally! I've been asking her to come and hang out with me and now maybe I have that moment with her! Oh my gosh, there are so many things to talk about. So many things to ask her. Where do I begin? My heart was racing. "Should I just tell her I'm here?" I wondered. I can't wait for her to tell me what she thinks of my little girl! I started to smile, and my heart raced. I started to look up and heard my name called again along with some laughter. Then the harps that I heard playing in Heaven scratched to a halt. I looked at my daughter, and she froze. Okay, get a grip. I'm totally freaked out. I heard more laughter followed with another "Hel-lo?????" I traced the voice coming from my child's diaper bag and GASPED.

My fricken husband put my cell phone on auto answer so when anyone calls me it automatically puts it in speaker mode. I reached in my bag and pulled out my cell phone. It was my girlfriend from Florida, laughing her butt off. I heard her two sons in the background laughing and saying my name over and over. I could only think of two things at that moment: 1) I'm a moron. 2) I'm going to beat the crap out of my husband.

Moral of the story - Make sure your cell phone is NEVER on automatic answer, unless you think you are Phoebe from the television show Friends.