The Best is Yet to Come
The dawn of every new year is considered extraordinary, even life-changing, heavily charged with dreams and expectations. And yet, there is nothing genuinely unique in these first days which, except for our revived desires and aspirations, follow the same familiar patterns created over years and centuries. With our human fragility, we are eager to celebrate the joy of new beginnings, for we are in dire need of achieving closures and setting fresh intentions and plans. We hungrily search for those external factors that will support our endeavours, forgetting in the process that the change we are seeking sprouts from within and that, in the core of our innocence, we already know how to move forward.
Echoing this motif of innocence – the purity, virtue, and playfulness inherent in every child, even the one we have tucked away in the depths of our psyche – I traced my way back to some beloved animation movies and collected a few thoughts to use as guidance for the months to come. They are nothing but mere reminders – sometimes obvious and cliché – and, yet, in the simplicity and beauty of their context, they shed light and add comfort in the unknown path that lies ahead. Step by step, they help us recall that, despite our humbling smallness, we have the potential of achieving great – magnificent – things, and, it is within this contrast and potential that lies the most meaningful power of our species. So, with our faith and inspiration rekindled, let us remember that the best is yet to come – and this depends entirely on us!
“There is no secret ingredient.” (Kung Fu Panda)
All we have is ourselves. And this is more than enough.
“To Infinity and beyond!” (Toy Story)
It does not matter where we stand now. What matters is where we plan to go.
“Everything we know about them was wrong.” (How to Train your Dragon)
We often live in fear and prejudice. And, yet, if we admit our ignorance and agree to see for a while through the eyes of a stranger, we may discover a world beyond our wildest dreams.
“Legends are lessons. They ring with truths.” (Brave)
It is within legends and tales that we, humans, hide the truths and values necessary for the education of the future generations.
“The only thing that is stronger than fear is curiosity.” (Smallfoot)
It is comforting to see that our inherent curiosity is so strong that, over time, it helps us bring down the walls built by our fears.
“Some people are worth melting for.” (Frozen)
Ultimately, love is the glue that holds us together.
“We didn’t set out to be superheroes, but life doesn’t always go as planned.” (Big Hero 6)
We never set out to become a hero. It is the journey that turns us into one.
“I don’t want to survive… I want to live!” (Wall-E)
Although the survival mode has been wired into our genes, it is our deeper purpose that makes life worth living.
“The only thing predictable about life is its unpredictability.” (Ratatouille)
When coming from a chef-rat living in the heart of Paris, this sentence becomes much more profound than what one initially thinks!
“Why, sometimes I’ve believed as many as six impossible things before breakfast.” (Alice in Wonderland)
The key is not to dream of the impossible but have the self-confidence to believe in it.
“Look inside yourself, Simba. You are more than what you have become. You must take your place in the Circle of Life.” (The Lion King)
We do not exist only as individuals but also as part of a whole. Respecting and fulfilling this part we have been called to play is what defines our destiny.
“If you cannot say something nice, don’t say nothing at all.” (Bambi)
In an era when sharing one’s opinion becomes increasingly easier, let us remember that what we think and what we say matter more than our liberty to share them with the world.
Photo credits: all photos from the animation movies have been sourced from the Internet.
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