child-like confusion

“The greatest children’s stories are about what happens when we become untethered from authority, whether by disobedience, disaster, or disregard, and the twinned feelings of freedom and fear we experience as we grapple with an autonomy we’re not quite ready for. They are, in that sense, rehearsals for adulthood.”
–Newsweek’s Andrew Romano

The book was scary as a kid and the movie is a bit depressing. The book was controversial upon its release, as the film is bringing about mixed reviews. However, I have gotten goose bumps every time I see the trailer for ‘Where the Wild Things Are’ and had been anticipating the day that I could see the book come to life on the big screen. You see, as a kid, I was always fascinated by illustrations in books before I was able to read or really understand the stories. I would simply make up my own stories to correspond with the pictures. I can remember going through my mom’s expansive collection of children’s books and choosing some of the same books over and over again because of the fascinating illustrations. While Maurice Sendak’s “wild things” originally scared the crap out of me, there was something also quite comforting and not-so-scary about them, too. I probably would have peed my pants if I had been Max meeting the “wild things” as a kid (or adult). However, the story brings out the hope, fear, and adventure in all of us that we can relate to at any stage in our lives. Hence the tag line: “there’s one in all of us.”

I think movies, as with all forms of art, allow for each person to take away something different. For me, I obviously was really excited to see one of my favorite children’s books come to the big screen, but I also had an unexpected feeling as I came out of the theater. I’ve had a bit of that child-like lost and confused feeling lately. It’s the kind of feeling where you don’t know what you should be doing with your life, don’t know where you fit in anymore, and don’t know what the next steps are to take. Like so many others, I lost my job when the economy hit bottom a few months ago and after sending out hundreds of resumes, haven’t been able to find another. It’s a bit scary going through the same feelings of insecurity and doubt that I felt when I was younger. Granted, I have a little more experience to guide me through than I did when I was a kid, but these resurfaced feelings of vulnerability made me able to relate to the movie in a way I never thought I would. ‘Where the Wild Things Are’ made me want to laugh, scream, and cry all in the span of 94 minutes. However, the end of the story brought feelings of happiness and hope, making me reflect upon the optimistic reality of my own situation.

You see, some people grow up knowing exactly what they want to do when they get older, some have absolutely no idea…and then there’s me. I’m a bit in between. I’ve always known I wanted to do something creative, but I’ve always toyed with the idea of pursuing three different careers: architect, graphic designer, or illustrator. So far, I’ve only really made it to accomplishing one of these career goals and play around with the others on the side. Now I’ve just got to figure out what the next phase of my life is going to bring.

Thanks for reading!