Inner Flips

Before the disappearance, Meg still had her self-doubts, which she could express to her dad who promised her his presence. After he left, the self-doubts doubled and she incriminated herself left and right in a gloomy situation at school, at home.

Cody and I watched "A Wrinkle in Time" yesterday afternoon, which captured his attention, his own struggles of self-doubt and sense of adventure. I was pleased to be asked to push the stop button many times as we discussed what was going on. Much of it was over his head without explanation, yet he did get the allegory on his own.

"Why is she believing lies about herself, Mom?"

"Well, you often tell me that you are ugly and stupid and no one likes you. Do you think that's the truth or do you think you're believing lies?"

Long thoughtful pause. "I think they're lies. You like me at least."

Major breakthrough for him. Inside cartwheels.

We talked about lies, self-deception, and the movie helped us call up the rightful image that we are soldiers of and for the light. We're like the poor hobbits, or the insecure Meg, who want to fight against the dark, dark forces so they don't evelope us or those we love or even the world. I think that's one of the reasons I like Christianity: it's a noble side to be upon if we believe that Christ is light and love, spreading, dispelling, hoping, daring, around us and through us. I was also reminded in the movie about the call to love ourselves and to fight against those forces that tell us we should do otherwise. We are his beloved afterall.

Such truths need to be encountered time and time again. Thank you, Madeline L'Engle, for a most remindful afternoon.