making something big out of a fluffy movie

I have been watching Hook off and on the past few days. Since we had our cable disconnected I have been watching bits of movies at odd times. At lunch today I watched the end of Hook.

The movie is a great parable of finding yourself in the face of great odds.

But in the end there were some things that really struck me.

Tink had been trying to get Peter Pan to stay with her. She even became large to be his size so he would stay. His mind is still muddled and he begins to kiss her. She has made the comment that his whole life has been sad and it is no wonder that he has lost his happy thoughts.

As he is at the point of kissing Tinkerbell he suddenly remembers his wife and family. His life has not been sad. It has been good. And he has two great children to show for it, along with a wife that he loves. He yields to duty and love rather than pleasure. His life as Peter Pan was over and he had to save his kids. He remembered that he had responsibility, He was no longer a Lost Boy. And he accepted it.

There is a point at which his little girl realizes that her dad is Peter Pan, and where his son acknowledges that he is Peter Pan along with all the Lost Boys. His children realize he is something more than a self-centered distant dad. He is something great.

There have been points in my life where I have done something really big in ministry or maybe just a feat of strength and my children recognized it. They still sometimes talk about it. For a moment it made me larger and they were proud of me as their dad. It was worth all the hassle to have those moments. And there are times when I wish I could recapture them. But I can’t.

When the leader of the Lost Boys, Rufio, the one who took over after Peter Pan left, is killed, his last wish said to Peter is I wish I had a dad like you. He says it in the presence of Jack, Peter’s son, who suddenly realizes his dad is far better than he thought

Peter tries to leave and Captain Hook says if you do not stay and fight me, there will be daggers flung at the door of your children’s children’s children.. if he did not deal with it now, it would never end. There are some things that have to be dealt with now or they will never end. He realized a lot of his job was to deal with them for the safety of his kids.

There are things we as fathers have to do to protect our children and sometimes they are not pleasant. As a pastor, there are things I have to do that I do not enjoy, but it is my job. If I do not, the church will suffer.

A lot of stuff off a fluffy movie, but that is why it is one of my favorites.




Maybe tomorrow I can find great existential meaning in Snow White.