Last week’s article about Frozen really struck a chord with folks and the comments on that blog are amazing! I’m moved and honored to be a part of that conversation, so thank you to all my “Lovies”!
Part two
I’ll say it again…”Have you seen FROZEN yet?!” You must go!!!
This is my new number one all-time favorite Disney movie ever!
There are SO many lessons to teach from in this film. Today, I’m going for it…the BIG ONE!
TRUE LOVE!
Look, I ADORE Disney! But let’s be honest, for decades now Disney has been portraying a very poor representation of “true love”! Between Disney and Barbie, the last few decades have really not provided the best role models for young people, particularly young girls.
Every Disney movie seems to end with a very young (teenage) girl becoming a Princess by marrying a Prince that she barely knows. (insert Cinderella, Little Mermaid, Beauty and the Beast, Snow White, etc).
The LESSON that Disney has been teaching girls for decades: True Love is something that a girl GETS from a boy…if she gets picked! Oy!
That’s one of the reasons that, prior to the release of Frozen, Enchanted was my favorite Disney film. In Enchanted, McDreamy (Patrick Dempsey) debunks the whole fall in love and propose on the same day garbage when he says “you’re going to marry a guy after ONE DAY!!” PROGRESS.
But in FROZEN…they completely shatter this entire dynamic and they NAILED IT!!
It’s so subtle, but it’s SO AMAZING! Ok, let’s dive in!
When Ana is struck in the heart by Elsa’s ICY POWERS, the trolls tell Kristoff that only an act of TRUE LOVE can save her.
So, what do they do? In true Disney old-school style, they rush Ana home to her “I just met you 15 minutes ago” fiancé Hans so he can kiss her…DUH!
The shear genius of Disney to use their OWN predictable story line to set us up for the greatest PLOT TWIST ever to appear in a Disney film! (SPOILER ALERT…if you haven’t seen FROZEN…maybe don’t read this)
They rush her back to Hans, and in a brilliant twist, Ana discovers that Hans does NOT love her! He was conning her in order to marry her, become King and kill her and her sister for the Kingdom!
HOLY CRAP ON A CRACKER!
Did Disney just teach my little girl that if you fall in love and get engaged in one day, it’s possible this guy is a creep and out to deceive you???
FREAKIN’ THANK YOU DISNEY!!!!
It’s like they shattered every Disney’s Princesses royal mirror all at once…I could hear the sounds of magic mirrors cracking all over Far-Far-Away!!!
BRILLIANT!!! And it gets even better!!!!!!
So now what?? No Prince!
What does one do when an act of true love is required and there’s NO man???
Will Ana run back to Kristoff? Surely she must love him instead?! Just when we think that is what is coming next, Disney deals the final BLOW.
And this, in my heart, is the greatest Disney lesson on film to date!
Ana sees that her sister is in danger; the very same sister who “apparently” struck her with the ICY heart that’s killing her. And in an instant, she makes an incredible choice
“It’s in your moments of decision that your destiny is shaped.” – Anthony Robbins
Ana stays vulnerable; she loves her sister even though her sister hurt her. She GIVES HER LOVE in a real act of TRUE LOVE.
Ana throws herself in front of her sister’s body to sacrifice her own life to save her sister. And in that split second moment, Disney re-writes decades of misguided role models by… flipping the switch on LOVE!
An act of TRUE LOVE happens when YOU GIVE YOUR LOVE UNCONDITIONALLY…even when you’ve been hurt and even when you are scared!!!!!
Ana’s act of true love was NOT someone ELSE kissing HER…it was HER GIVING HER LOVE!!!!
BAMM!
Holy crap on a cracker! And just like that, Disney NAILS the greatest love lesson on earth!
TRUE LOVE IS SOMETHING YOU GIVE FREELY, NOT SOMETHING YOU GIVE TO GET!
If you want true love in your intimate relationship, if you want to create an UNSHAKABLE LOVE, if you want to be #1 in your partner’s world, if you want to be loved for all the parts of yourself (the good parts and the parts you fear are unlovable too), then it begins with GIVING YOUR LOVE FREELY.
But that’s not the reality for most people today. Most people today are MEASURERS. Always measuring what you are getting back in exchange for what you are giving. How else would you know if you have a 50/50 relationship (YUCK!) unless you were measuring to be sure things are even?! No judgment. I’m a former gold metal score keeper myself!
Measuring isn’t GIVING!
If you want TRUE LOVE…and UNSHAKABLE LOVE…UNCONDITIONAL LOVE…then you have to GIVE IT SWEETIE!
Be a GIVER! Put the measuring stick away…and just give!!
Give when you’re scared, give when it hurts, give when you’ve been hurt…Like Ana! That’s True Love!
It’s not the easy road and it’s not safe.
As my friend and mentor Cloe Madanes once said, “If you want safe love, get a puppy.”
If you want true love, unshakable love and unconditional love….GIVE YOUR LOVE FREELY!
And just like that Disney has RESET the hands of time! True love is when you GIVE YOUR LOVE FREELY! It’s not something you barter for and it’s not something you wait for someone to give you!
Go love my sweetie! Go GIVE your love freely! And like Elsa, perhaps your great life lesson will be to discover that LOVE will THAW THE FREEZE! More on that lesson…next week! 😉
Sending love,
Stacey
Former Ice Princess…turned Sunshine!
*All rights to Frozen, the video, and movie content are owned by Disney. Idina Menzel lyrics are property and copyright of their owners.
Stacey – great part two, thanks for sharing it – I guess I will need to go see Frozen. You are the love and passion coach and your lesson applies to not just love … no matter what you want you respect, service, time … if you give it freely 'no measuring' you will get what you want. Have an amazing week!
Stacey – great part two, thanks for sharing it – I guess I will need to go see Frozen. You are the love and passion coach and your lesson applies to not just love … no matter what you want you respect, service, time … if you give it freely ‘no measuring’ you will get what you want. Have an amazing week!
Well, Sunshine, you certainly gave me lots of food for thought this week. There are places where I’ve been holding back. Thanks for the push to step into insecurity and open fully. My son is 14, so I haven’t seen a Disney movie in a while; but maybe I’ll make an exception for this one. 🙂
Awesome Susannah!!! Open fully…we got you covered sweetie!! It’s time! Let me know how you enjoy the movie! See you soon sweetie! Love you!
Thank you Cindy! Fantastic insight sweetie! YES….whatever you give freely will come back to you!!! Thank you for teaching that here!!!! Love you!
You know I feel I have to point tout hat this is not anything new as far as "True Love" and the meaning of "True Love" or what "True Love" can mean or be etc being twisted or altered etc is conserned. Taking into consideration the fact that a US TV Show/Series called Once Upon A Time at the end of the first series put a similiar twist on what "True Love" can either mean or be when the "hero" of the show Emma awoke her son who was under the infleucne of the "Sleeping" curse by telling him that she loved him and kissing his forehead which not only woke her son from the "Sleeping" curse but also broke the curse that had been placed on the town as well due to "True Love's Kiss" not only being the thing that broke the "Sleeping" curse but either "True Love" or "True Love's Kiss" also being the thing that was needed in order to break the curse that had been placed on the town. So while this altered perception of what "True Love" either is or can be etc it is not that new as far as TV shows etc is conserned. I just felt the need to point this out.
WOOOW Stacey, once againg you move my rug! This really touches and get me understand even better waht love is all about. Thank you Sunchine!
Hehe! Lisa, I love how the web translates your comments into English! I get it….this pulled the rug out from under you! I’m so thrilled you love this article princess! Love you too!!!
So interesting Brent. I've never heard of that show…must check it out! Thanks for taking the time to share here and be so thorough!!
Okay, now I’m obsessed with the song “Let It Go” and am trying to figure out when I can legitimately squeeze in a trip to the theater in town that’s still showing Frozen.
I agree with you, Stacy, on the kudos to Disney for their options for “Who will save the day? Ice man? Snow man? NO man?” Woohoo!
On the other hand, I have to ask, what WERE they thinking of in “Let It Go” when Elsa has transformed her confining clothes into her icy-blue caped outfit? Here she’s claiming her power and her authenticity, and she walks out to the terrace with a slinky model’s walk. What’s with that?? She should be striding powerfully – she doesn’t need to lure anyone with hip-swaying, sashaying kind of walk. This was an obnoxiously jarring visual note in a powerful auditory message.
Thanks for letting me rant. I’ll get off my soapbox now. 🙂
Ha! I hope you get to see it in the theater Kathleen!! Interesting observation about her transformation. Although sweetie, feminine energy comes in all flavors. Sometimes when a woman breaks out of her confinement of who she thought she had to be…there’s a wiggle in that squiggle! 😉
Your welcome :o)