Merida is just like any other teenager. She’s a girl trying to find herself and wanting to do so without the help of her loving and protective mother.
Sound familiar? We all have a rebellious side. And in the movie, “Brave,” we see just what rebellion can get you.
I recently went to see this animated tale set in Scotland with one of my good friends. It proved to be more than just a way for us to catch up and of course stay cool on a summer day. The film was filled with life lessons for all ages.
It served as a nice reminder we should be careful about what we ask for when it comes to changing our situation. Pardon the cliché, but the grass is definitely not always greener on the other side. We see that with Princess Merida.
She reached the age in her world when it was time for her to be married. Unlike today where most people can choose which person they want to marry, men competed for Merida’s hand. Whomever won, whether she liked him or not, is the one she was supposed to live with happily ever after. After all, in that time period, that was considered tradition.
As fiery as her red hair, Merida would not stand for this. She is the feistiest princess Disney has produced and it makes for an enjoyable film.
During an archery competition, where the first-born of potential family matches competes for Merida’s affections, the teenager joins the ranks and competes for her own hand. Yep, she changes the game and, of course, infuriates her mother, the Queen.
That act of defiance does not stop there. Determined to change her fate, she visits a witch and buys a spell to change her mother.
Well, let’s just say it does more than merely change the mind of her mother; it transforms her into a big black bear. It isn’t until Merida discovers her mother could be stuck that way for good that she realizes her lack of appreciation for her mother.
Why not appreciate your parents when they are there for you? Don’t wait until it’s too late to tell them how much they mean to you or how grateful you are for them.
Yes, not every household is sunny and or a utopian, but it’s yours. Appreciate it because some don’t even have a family.
Another lesson in the film actually happens when the queen is a bear. She was so much against her daughter being a tomboy that it never occurred to her just how smart and independent she really was. She learned to listen to her – something she didn’t really do when it came to keeping the royal tradition.
As a bear, Merida’s mother couldn’t talk. No one brought her food. She had to learn to catch fish and feed herself. Her daughter taught her how to do so.
This was a relatable lesson as many children feel their parents don’t listen to them and vice versa. It was a lesson that stuck because when things returned to normal, instead of a mother who always told her daughter what to do, they began to do things together.
A third lesson I gathered from the film was we all have the power to change our own fate. No, we are not princesses or kings and queens who rule kingdoms. We have normal lives with bills and responsibilities.
Sometimes we might wish we could change the due date of a bill or turn our old car into a brand new and reliable one. We don’t have the luxury to buy a spell from a witch, but we can change our attitude and our perspective about our current situation. I like that idea. Don’t you?
