Stories are all over the place. They entertain and educate. Whether they come through the theatre, books, movies, or the neighbor down the street, they feed our imaginations and sustain our souls.
This month I took the kids to see Servant Stage's My Fair Lady . It was delightful. Of course I didn't see the second act thanks to a rambunctious ten month old, but what I did see was delightful.
A week later we saw Dumbo as the local dollar theater. Again, delightful. Dumbo is one of my favorite stories. Is there anything in the world cuter than a baby elephant?
We also rented Ralph Breaks the Internet and have begun reading Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone. So many great stories leading to great conversations and shared experiences. I was reminded of a letter I wrote to my thirteen year old when she was younger.
Dear Brooklyn,
I remember taking you to your very first movie -- just the two of us. We saw The Tale of Despereaux at the dollar theater. You were about 2 1/2. We got popcorn and I brought in your sippy cup with some diluted juice, and of course, your "faci" (your very special nickname for your pacifier). You sat in my lap and pretty much watched the whole thing. Then you peed through your diaper, and we went home.
So much has changed in the last three years! Tonight we had an impromptu date night, courtesy of Nana and Bob Bob agreeing to watch Grayson. We saw Dr. Seuss' The Lorax. We got popcorn and candy and an icee. No pacifier required!
The best part (and the biggest change) was our conversation on the way home. We talked about the movie, our favorite parts, good characters, bad characters, songs, and everything. We even delved into the spiritual, discussing how the "bad guy" wasn't following Jesus' way and how watching his story is a good reminder for us to follow Jesus and be kind to the earth.
The movie itself was cute but slow and I fell asleep in the theater a couple of times. But I loved spending time with you and thinking about how much you have grown. You are a beautiful young lady, inside and out, and I will go on a date with you any time!
Sharing stories, with our children, families, friends, neighbors, is how we share Jesus. We dress it up and call it our testimony, but it's simple, just stories. Stories are everywhere. All the world is a stage.