Why Don’t You Do What You Dream? ~ The Neverending Story
Do you ever think that what you have to contribute simply cannot be that important? In The Shack, it is established that if anything matters, everything matters. So, what if you simply had to declare “it” – to name “it” – for the whole Universe to shift?
Continuing last weeks look at the 1984 movie, The Neverending Story, I’d like to look at Bastion, the earthling child reading the story. He was a delight to watch; his youth and innocence shined. At first, when he screamed – and it echoed into the story – he was confused and shrugged it off. This happened throughout the story; I would imagine it impacted him just a bit deeper each time. “It’s just a story” “It’s not real” were things he would say – out loud to no one but himself, as he was holed away in a cluttered attic hiding from school.
At the end, when Fantasia is breaking apart and Bastion holds the power to stop it, the nudge becomes stronger that HE indeed is the one to help – that he was what Atreyu, the warrior child, went out to bring back. To save the land of Fantasia, an earthling child must give the Princess a new name….when this was first revealed, Bastion even mused “I wish they would ask me….” he said to the wind.
As Bastion struggles with the realization that HE is the one who must declare the name, the Princess literally directs her attention to the him, saying, “Bastion, why don’t you do what you dream?” And here it is: “But I can’t. I must keep my feet on the ground.” (that morning his father told him he must keep his “feet on the ground” as he was too busy being a normal kid [my opinion]).
So, here’s a little boy, an earthling child, who is struggling with what a loving person in his life tells him he should do and what he KNOWS in his gut he must do. Yes, it’s “just a story” – but is it?
We live in a world where we have those struggles all the time. What would my mother say if…What would happen if I did it this way…What Would Jesus Do?…And sometimes the best answer is the opposite one.
Do you have the courage to choose the best answer?
What I love about this classic movie, The Neverending Story, is that it is true! Bastion read the story, I observed him reading the story. You, now, are reading this, which shares the story in yet another format. And when you tell someone about this writing, or the movie, or the original book, or the idea it communicates, it is neverending yet again.
What would happen? If you watched the movie yourself? If you commented below and shared your insights? If you gifted the book to your child or grandchild? … You get the idea.
Let’s keep The Neverending Story going. Leave a comment, and when I respond, it’ll start a whole new dialogue that the author never even saw coming 30 years ago!