Circle of Life

Sunday, Shan and I took the boys and a couple of their friends to see the re-release of  The Lion King. I never actually realized that it is one of the few Disney movies the boys have not seen start to finish. I have a fondness for that movie and couldn't wait for my boys to see it. So, we treated them to a movie date.

It is definitely one of my favorite animated movies of all time. The first time I saw it was back in 1994. Shannon and I had been dating a little over a year. (Wow!) We both loved it and for some reason still feel a sentimental connection to the movie. In fact, I loved that movie so much that I named 2 of my beloved college pets after the characters. My one and only cat , Simba (1994-2005), and my beautiful parakeet, Zazu, who I loved for several years during and after college.

I have seen it so many times, but the last time I saw it I was not a mother. I don't think I was even married. The parts of the story by which I was moved the most were very different from what they are now. Originally, I watched it and processed it as a child. I put myself in Simba's place, thinking of how sad it would be to lose your father and carry the blame. This time I processed it as a wife and mother; thinking about how awful it would be to lose your husband and have your child runaway, feeling guilty, and having the weight of the world on his shoulders. That would probably be the deepest of pain for a mama. On the lighter side Pumba and Timon offered the same comic relief as they did the first time around. They truly signify the importance of loyalty in a friendship. Adorable!

I loved hearing the boys's critique! Of course they LOVED the music. Who doesn't?!?! The soundtrack is crazy good! My favorite is the opening song, Circle of Life, it brings me to tears and covers me in goose bumps EVERYTIME! Everything about it is so beautiful, majestic, and peaceful. It's kinda funny that a cartoon can make you appreciate the wonder of the earth. Hakuna Matata is as precious as always. And the scene with Can You Feel the Love Tonight is so sappy, cheesie, sweet! I just love it! When I asked Sam and Fulton what they thought of the movie, naturally, they thought it was great. But it was very interesting to hear Sam express those same feelings from the perspective of a child as I had when I first saw it. I told him I felt the same way before I became a mama, but now I feel differently. He said, "yeah that would be sad for your child to be gone for so long. I bet she missed him a lot."

Any who... I guess the "circle of life" does go on. I was glad to be able to share a long-time favorite movie of mine with my boys. Hopefully, they will tuck it away as one of their faves too.