A Pretty Good Reason to Love Disney

Disney is so well loved because of a lot of things, I think that one of those reasons, an important one, is because it's so relate-able. I know, you're like "Come on, whatever, it's nothing like real life." Which is fair. But listen up, don't you sometimes wish life was a little like a Disney movie? I know I do! I love Disney, it just makes me happy. And I think Disney has some incredible things to share with the world. Amazing gospel principles (even if they're not trying all good things testify of Christ), and just really wonderful life principles. I'm going to share some with you because this is the reason I love Disney. This is why it makes me happy. I've always found that some Disney princess song would temporarily become my life motto and I want you to see why. Although I'm sure you already know ;)

Let's start with a classic, Beauty and the Beast. Who doesn't love Belle?
She's intelligent and beautiful and just basically one of the very best Disney princesses of all time. In the

reprise of the song "Belle" she sings:

"I want adventure in the great wide somewhere

I want it more then I can tell

And for once it might be grand

To have someone understand

I want so much more then they've got planned!"

This was seriously my song during a long "I'm a misunderstood teenager who's plans are way to big for the rest of you to comprehend" phase. I'm over it but I still love these lines. Who doesn't want adventure?! And who doesn't make plans that they sometimes feel are misunderstood? I think it's safe to say that we've all been there.

I really wanna talk Frozen. Some people didn't like it, everyone was comparing it to Tangled, but most people loved it I think. It's kind of a hit, and how could it not be with Idina Menzel singing? Like what a rock star right! So in defense of Frozen I just want to say, stop comparing it to Tangled. They're different stories, let them stand alone. And now I'm gonna tell you why I thought Frozen taught great things. First off, true love? Sisterly love? Come one, who doesn't like that? :) Anyway, in "Love is an Open Door" Anna says:

"All my life has been a series of doors in my face

Then suddenly I bump into you...

...Love is an open door!"

Okay, I totally get it if you feel like "She's so shallow" but think about that song in the context of what the movie is really about. Sisterly love. Love is an open door. Isn't that exactly what "Do You Want to Build a Snowman" is all about? Anna is singing to Elsa from outside the room asking her to show her love, to open the door, to be with her. I don't think it's a stretch. Also when Anna is singing "For the First Time in Forever" she talks about all these hopes and dreams she has. She sings:

"For the first time in forever

I've getting what I'm dreaming of

A chance to change my lonely world"

How can you not feel like she's a relate-able character? Am I crazy for thinking that people are so excited when they get what they've been dreaming of? And who isn't lonely once in a while? I feel like I'm only friends with people who feel lonely no matter who they're with. Doesn't that say something about how Disney is targeting their song? People are lonely and who doesn't love the opportunity to change something about that? Maybe none of us are having that opportunity "for the first time ever" but we like it all the same. Then there's Elsa, and I mean COME ON! How can you not love her? Her voice alone and then she's beautiful and can I just point out that she is definitely NOT a Disney princess. She is a Disney QUEEN. Yeah, and she acts like it. I love "Let it Go" and I'm about to tell you why :)

"Conceal, don't feel, don't let them know.

Well now they know

Let it go! Let is go,

Can't hold you back anymore

Let it go, let it go,

Turn your back and slam the door....

...It's funny how some distance makes everything seem small

The fears that once controlled me

Can't get to me at all...

...It's time to see,

Test my limits and break through...

.....I'm free.....

...You'll never see me cry,

Here I stand, and here I'll stay

Let the storm rage on...

..I'm never going back,

The past is in the past...

...I'll rise like the break of dawn..

..That perfect girl is gone...

...Here I stand in the light of day

Let the storm rage on

The cold never bothered me anyway."

Okay, I attacked that song, it's because it's SO amazing though! All the things it talks about are just perfect! She's been taught all her life that she needs to hide who she is and what she is and she like "well now they know," and in the movie you're like "YES!" because she's so intense! And she's thinking that she's literally going to let it all go. She's going to stop letting people scare her, or control her. She's going to test her limits, find out who she really is and who she really wants to be. This is a classic example of self discovery. Everyone needs to figure out who they are and who they want to become. And that doesn't happen just once. You have to figure out who you are all the time and then you have to re-align yourself with the person you want to be. It's a life long process and she's finally started hers, which is awesome!! She's all about being free and standing strong through the storm, letting the past go, getting some perspective so she can understand that her fears aren't really that scary. What about this song isn't in life? Like it's amazing! And when she sing "the cold never bothered me anyway" you're just like "WHOA" because she's got such attitude and she's finally letting it out! People should always let the real them out because it's an improvement for them, the world, and it's honest. But I'll move on so you don't feel like I'm laying on Frozen to hard (yeah, I know, you're like "Too late!"). Let move on to what people have been comparing it to. Tangled.

Which is totally different by the way. Totally not similar stories. I guess a couple of things are similar but lets me real, they're super different. I'm so not going to talk about this. I want to share something from Tangled. Like "When Will My Life Begin" and "I've Got a Dream" she sings:

"I'll keep wonderin' and wonderin'

And wonderin' and wonderin'

When will my life begin.......

...Now that I'm older

Mother might just

Let me go."

I love this. What teenager isn't like "I just want to do what ever I want!" as they collapse dramatically into their bed and what teenager doesn't thing "Maybe mom/dad will let me go now..." This part of Tangled to me is just so easy to relate to. I definitely had a stage with this song. And then she sings:

"And with every passing hour

I'm so glad I left my tower!

Like all you lovely folks

I've got a dream!"

Don't anyone tell me they don't like this song. I mean, look at it. It's all about everyone having a dream, recognizing it and going for it. It's a fun song but remember that it's a song about life. All the best songs are about life. There are only a couple more! Hang in there :)

It seems appropriate now to talk about Tiana from the Princess and the Frog. There are some great songs in that one but the one but I wanna talk about "Almost There". It's my favorite song from that movie. She says:

"I ain't got time for messin' around

And it's not my style...

...But I know exactly where I'm going

And I'm getting closer and closer everyday...

...But I've climbed the mountain, I've crossed the river

I'm almost there!"

Tell me how can you not admire Tiana? She's so incredible! She's so motivated! And totally determined and ready and brave and I would love to have half the courage and motivation that Tiana's got.  She's such a hard worker! Which is why I think she was such a breath of fresh air and she's wonderful! Her's it pretty straight forward, it's a story all about how hard work really does pay off and dreams can really come true.

I want to talk about Ariel now. She's a favorite of mine, though friends try to dissuade me and tell me what a terrible Disney princess she is, I disagree. I love her. She doesn't get to sing as much as I'd like since, ya know, her voice is stolen! But she sings in "Part of Your World" saying:

"(Speaking) Maybe he's right. Maybe there is something the matter with me.

I just don't see how a world that makes such wonderful things could be bad.

(Singing)Look at this stuff.

Isn't in neat?...

...I wanna be where the people are

I wanna see, see them dancing...

...Up where they walk, up where they run

Up where they stay all day in the sun

Wanderin' free, wish I could be

Part of that world."

Well first off, no one, not anyone should ever be made to feel like there is something wrong with them. Ariel's family made her sad. Her father make her feel terrible! That shouldn't happen. I know it does, but it shouldn't. And then she shows us her collection of all the things she loves and dreams about. She just wants to walk around in the sun. At this point she isn't really considering leaving her family forever, she only wants a  little freedom, to feel independent. She wants the choice to do the things she's dreaming about and then she'll make the right choice, or the wrong, and she'd learn. But she wasn't given a choice and everyone deserves the choice.

I know this one's been long so thank you :)

"All our dreams can come true if we have the courage to persue them" -Walt Disney