One of my favorite things to do as an adult is revisit my favorite things from childhood. When I was growing up movies like "The Texas Chainsaw Massacre," one of many in the flood of remakes, were classics to me. To me it was all brand new; the Star Wars movies of my parent's generation that I grew up watching everyday were replaced by the new trilogy of Star Wars movies that marked my childhood. It's funny how things change from generation to generation and how ideas and sentiments are replicated over and over in different ways across time. Then of course there were the classics of my childhood, the original movies that I grew up with and treasure still. "Home Alone 2" will forever have a place in my heart since I can remember watching it every Christmas with my mom, my dad and my little brother. It was one of my mom's favorite movies. I have the first two in a set now on Blu-Ray and I watch them all throughout the year. When I am feeling lonely or missing my mom I pop it in while I lie in bed trying to fall asleep or when I am up moving around the apartment doing things so I can have something to make me laugh and keep me going.
It's like wrapping yourself in a warm blanket that's always there, and what's more you can have as many blankets as there are memories in your heart. "Mrs. Doubtfire" played an integral part in my childhood. I know the entire thing by heart and still I can laugh at all of it just like it was the first time. Just thinking about that movie makes me grin so wide I can't help but giggle. Get this, my partner works with the film, television and music industries and he has so much memorabilia it's crazy. One of the things that he brought out for me to enjoy was one of the original studio lamps from the opening scene of "Mrs. Doubtfire" with Robin Williams in the studio recording a voiceover for an animated parrot. You can see the lamp right there, the producer or director or whomever in the studio with Robin Williams has it on his desk. As you can probably imagine I went nuts. I mean seriously?! One of my favorite things from growing up, something my brother and I watched over and over countless times together in all the houses we lived in, was alive right in front of me. It was, and still is, surreal. You have to really hold on to and treasure those things that have kept you going throughout the years. They kept you strong for a reason. Whether it is a song, a movie, a tradition, a picture - whatever. Cherish the things that bring you joy. So often when we feel like there is nothing to be happy about we forget that all it takes is a look inside. Holding on to those feelings, that power, that drive, keeps us strong in our times of weakness. By remembering we not only remind ourselves of happy memories of the past but we continue to keep them alive. Not all memories are good, some things have negative connotations to us. That too, with time, can be turned around as well. The old saying is true, what doesn't kill you most certainly will make you stronger. You just have to step up to the plate and be willing to fight once you've been given the strength. There are still a lot of things that I avoid at all costs because of traumatic memories I have associated with it, but slowly I am trying to teach myself to get over that and to turn it into something positive. I can not go back and make those bad things not happen, no matter what I will still have gone through what I have because it has already happened. We are stronger if only because we made it through to the other side. Surviving itself is strength. Those negative things will always have their negative memories but you can begin to associate a feeling of triumph over time because you made it through and no matter what happened you are still standing. That alone is a reason to be joyful.
Positive memories and traditions are the best because they make us feel all warm and happy inside, but those negative memories once converted can be an even stronger sense of purpose, motivation and strength. Do all that you can to hold on to the precious memories you have, they are what help define you, and be willing to let the hurt go and turn that pain into something powerful, something for you. Tonight I watched "Richie Rich" and last night I watched "Sister Act" and "Double Jeopardy," all classics I remember from growing up. No there weren't awesome special effects or sound technology, but they mean something to me and they make me laugh. They bring joy to my heart and serve as a perpetual reminder of the good things I have to be thankful for in my life. Holding on to those positive happy things is what will keep you going. Trust me, I know. So go rent or order your favorite movie from when you were a kid. Curl up alone, with someone you love or with the dog. Just get comfortable and let the world sink away for a little bit while you relax and remember just why you are happy to be alive - even when the world around you can be crumbling down.
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