#1 Approaching the Bells

Welcome, my friend, to this exciting event. Today is the day of your awakening. The dawn of your great and mighty roar. This is your time to rise up and answer the call to ultimate power. Today is the day that begins your liberation! 

Wow, was that dramatic enough for you? I’ll be honest: I was putting off doing this series for a hot second. Not because I was scared of doing it, but because I wanted to cram in as much practice as I could before I tackled this giant. This movie is as near and dear to my heart as movies get, so I want to make sure I give it my A-game. 

And, even then, I may try it again in a year or two to do it more justice with my improved talent. 

So what movie could be this special? Ladies and Gentlemen, boys and girls, the movie we will be diving into for the next two weeks is none other than…Drumroll please…

The Hunchback of Notre Dame!

For as long as I can remember, this movie has held its place as the best thing to have ever happened to me. I have memories of singing Quasimodo’s opening song all throughout the house. 

“Just to live…one…day out theeeere!” 

Ahh, good memories! 

But this movie hasn’t just stuck because of its memorable songs, fresh production quality, or well-designed characters. No, I think what has glued this movie to me was the feeling that this story was my own. Now, before you freak out, no I wasn’t abused. I didn’t have anyone gaslighting me, or telling me I was deformed or ugly. But I was a shy, quiet middle child, so sometimes it was easy to feel locked in a belltower, unable to come down, even when I wanted to.

And like many introverts, middle kids, or quieter people in general, I developed my own little world that would become my belltower. I would invite people in to see my toys, hear about my fantasies, or otherwise get a chance to peer into my crowded mind. But rarely would I truly be able to leave. At first, I didn’t care to. Then, as I got older, I realized that the real world was nothing like my belltower. It wasn’t a gift to be a commoner of the real world, it was a struggle. The beautiful sun was scorching hot, people were mean and hurt my feelings. It wasn’t the picture-perfect world that I had imagined. 

So I decided to lock myself back up in my tower, never to come out again. And I didn’t for many years. But now I am starting to examine the world, studying it as I slowly venture out into it. Although the belltower is perfect, clean, harmless and safe, deep down I knew that there was more to life than those four sterile walls. There are adventures to be had, places to explore and things I must do. 

And that’s what I want this particular series to be all about: escaping your bell towers where you normally run and hide. I think we all have a bell tower and I want to explore how to care for them properly. I want to make the most of our bell towers and turn them into sacred sanctuaries, rather than stone prisons. We are meant to be rulers of our cathedrals, not prisoners who “don’t do well behind stone walls.” 

So expect big things for the next half-month as we embark on the adventure of a lifetime! I’ve got so much to share and only 2 weeks to share it. Hopefully I can cram everything in and do this movie justice as I do. I can’t wait to share this with you all and I pray it reshapes your heart as it has so often mine. 

Until next time

May Peace be your Guide.