The Famed Yellow Brick Road

We all have days when we wonder why we ventured out of bed. Yesterday was a day like that for me. I woke up with a splitting headache that would not go away. It appeared to be a nasty arthritis inspired type of thing--the kind that makes you feel half sick. I tried everything I could think of to encourage its departure, but it was all to no avail. The headache from hades refused to leave, no matter what I did. So I took a time out from life. I soaked in the tub and tried to get my body to calm down. I dressed in comfortable clothes and avoided a frantic pace--something I had been keeping up for several days in a row. I turned on soothing music and closed my eyes, doing my best to relax. I dirfted off to sleep for a bit, and though the headache was persistent, I noticed that I did feel somewhat better after resting.

I love to read, but yesterday reading seemed to aggravate things, so I continued to listen to music. Eventually, I wandered out to the living room and found a movie I haven't watched for a long time--a gift from one of my sons, a modern adaptation of "The Wizard of Oz." It's a six hour adventure (it was originally aired as a mini-series on TV) which is why I've never watched it in one sitting before . . . until last night. I started it at 4:00 and it wrapped up about 10:00 p.m. The nice thing about owning the movie, is that it can be paused for periodic snack breaks. I mostly sat, intrigued by the storyline and noticed an analogy for life. See if any of this sounds familiar:

The heroine, D.G., feels restless. She senses there is something important she is supposed to be doing in her life, but she can't quite figure out what that is. She comments at one point that she just doesn't feel like she fits in with everyone around her. Then suddenly, adversaries arrive in her life, intent on causing her harm. The people she thought were her parents, (they weren't--they were actually keeping her safe until it was time for her great adventure) save her by throwing her into a raging tornado that propels her into a strange land. She finds herself alone, and doesn't know who she is, why she's there, or where she's supposed to be going.

Adventures abound as D.G. meets up with people who help her find her way. These people become her friends and she learns that each one is seeking something they are missing from their life. Glitch longs for wisdom. Tin Man is in need of a change of heart. Raw, a lion looking sort of fellow, lacks courage. Together they help each other as they journey along, seeking the answers to questions that plague. At times everything seems to be upside down as corruption has twisted things that used to be good and pure. It is a confusing journey as the four friends seek for a purpose to their life. They help each other through challenging times, certain their quest is crucial.

D.G. is also aided by hints that arrive just as she needs them most from her real parents. She learns that she is actually the daughter of a queen, and that she has an important mission to fulfill. The happiness of her family depends on the choices she makes. It takes every ounce of stamina and courage she can muster to survive--her faith in what she now knows to be truth gives her the strength she needs to save her family during a perilous time. And in the end, love is what matters most. Love for her family helps D.G. push beyond what she thinks she is capable of accomplishing and she is able to face her fears and stand up for what she knows is right.

This movie has a feel good ending and I found myself smiling when it was finished. And since my brain is always searching for symbolism (no wonder I get doozy headaches on occasion) I reflected on what I perceived was the message. We all start life somewhat like D.G.--most of us try to figure out who we are and why we're here. It would also be nice to have a hint of where we're going. Along the way, we meet people, good and bad, who influence our journey, and the choices we make. The adversary and his minions never make it easy and obstacles always seem to surface at inopportune times. We are tested and challenged along the way, and those experiences, though never fun, are what help shape us into who we're supposed to be. Eventually we figure out that the people who matter most are our family members--those who are truly in our corner when the going gets rough. And in the end, the thing that matters most is love.

So . . . I guess this was an important reminder I needed yesterday. Sometimes we all need a brief time out from life to ponder where we're at on our respective yellow brick roads. It's easy to get bogged down with all of the running and going and doing and trials and challenges. Sometimes we need a reminder that the journey truly is worth it in the end.