Lessons from Mr. Magorium (and my own "Wonder Emporium")

Am I the only adult out there who gets more emotionally touched by movies geared toward kids than those made for "grown ups?"

I know I'm a bit behind the curve, but only just last night did I watch Mr. Magorium's Wonder Emporium

Oh my word...tears, emotion, analyzing, relating to my own life...And this is supposed to be a children's movie!

Happens to me every time!

I even had to leave the room one day while watching Pooh's Grand Adventure: The Search For Christopher 

That Pooh movie ever-reminds me of my daughter growing up and going off to school at the end of each summer vacation and I just simply can't make it through the movie without squalling. But I digress...

The Mr. Magorium movie was another such unexpected "learning curve" for me -- what was supposed to be a rather fluffy, feel-good movie about toys and wonder instead was a powerful message seemingly meant just for me.

Sure, the movie has plenty of the stuff that kids love - the impossible toys-coming-to-life stuff, etc. -- but I wasn't seeing that - I was hearing the message on almost a parallel level while watching the movie...here's the gist:

Mr. Magorium loved life - every second of it - and saw magic in everything. Much like how I strive to live my life. He believed that anything was possible - no matter what the nay-sayers would have you believe. I was loving it!

And then comes the part where you realize what he's up to-- he's making his plans, rather matter-of-factly, to "exit" this old world. He realizes he is "leaving" as he so gently puts it, and proceeds to put his magical affairs in order.

But in the process, he gives others (including the viewers) the gift of "seeing" the magic in things and of believing in themselves.

Who of us has not been there at that point of wondering, questioning, pondering what we thought we'd be vs. what we are?

Are you "there" now?

Do you wonder what happened to 'the girl who used to be you' and wonder if she even exists any longer? Do others see that sparkle in your eye anymore? Or do they just see tired eyes that no longer dream big and really believe in those dreams?

I could so relate to the young girl who was his shopkeeper (played by Natalie Portman). She wonders where her "magic" has gone -- what happened to the "potential" everyone saw in her. She loses confidence and begins not to believe. She is handed an incredible opportunity, having been bequeathed the magical toy store she has worked faitfully in for years, yet she falters and feels inadequate to do so.

Never mind that she's been managing it for years; she feels unable to move, frozen in her fear of doing it now officially on her own.

Sound familiar?

But take a critical step back for a moment and think about it. Think of all we, as women/mothers "manage" without even realizing it or even being even a little amazed by it. We just take for granted that we manage the equivalent of a corporation right in our own homes.

Think of each and every little thing you do during the course of a day, a week, a month, etc. -- and don't forget a thing, count everything you do -- things that if you were to disappear, wouldn't be done. You will be amazed! So why do you suppose it is that when we very same women, who manage things in our comfort zone (home) freeze at the idea of using those same talents, that same creativity, those same fabulous organizational/motivational skills (ever seen a big-shot CEO get a kid motivated to do a school project they hate?) to go beyond our comfort zone, "out there" in the world?

Right now, for me this struggle is in the area of pondering the question: "Do I or do I not finally open the "brick & mortar" version of my store, The Beautiful Life?"

I've been successfully running it for almost 10 years online and the dream of a "real" store is stronger than ever now.

When I saw Natalie Portman struggling in the same way in the movie last night, it was such a powerful message to me.

Sometimes we just need someone to believe in our dreams for us, or with us.

She had Mr. Magorium. Do you have a "Mr. Magorium" in your life?

Someone who sees (or still sees) that potential that we have not yet fully realized and even perhaps lost sight of?

They still see the dream that everyone but you knows is just waiting to be brought to life, because maybe you put it "on hold" for so long you've actually forgotten it?

Maybe you've even forgotten how to dream.

One of my husband's favorite quotes is "If you hide from the risk, you hide from the reward".

Sometimes we have to ask ourselves if we're just mouthing the words because they sound good or are we really living what we say we believe?

Now, I'm not recommending that everyone throw caution to the wind and make unwise, wholesale changes in their lives in order to selfishly "find themselves". Especially so if you still have small children at home who need you.

BUT! Even during the seaons in our lives when the "big dream" may need to wait in the wings... the roots of that dream (whatever skills, talents, passions have created that dream) can always, always be utilized, honed and enjoyed in your everyday life.

This is the time of perfecting the dream -- using the creativity that will one day drive your "bigger dream" right now, in your every day life to create a 'dreamy' life for those around you.

Because, if it truly is a passion for you, it will simply have no choice but to manifest itself in all you do.

Whether its creating a cozy, lovely home for your family while your children are young, or its the attention to detail that you put into the smallest of tasks that everyone notices about you... Whatever "it" is, its in you - its not some "thing" that must be put on a shelf for "someday". So go ahead, begin today living the dream in whatever form is feasible for this seaon of your life.

If that describes you right now, I urge you to go out and rent Mr. Magorium's Wonder Emporium.

I can almost guarantee you'll get more out of it than you bargained for -- if your "eyes" (and your heart) are open.

And remember this:

"EVEN 37 SECONDS,

LIVED WELL,

CAN

BE

A ...

LIFETIME."

GO.

LIVE.

And don't forget to dream. BIG.