A Lesson Worth Learning

As the world enjoys Toy Story 3, just as I did, we see the new characters, the old characters, the stories, the thickened plot, the hilarious moments, and the evil moments, but something that not everyone will see as they gaze upon the silver screen is really the most important thing of all. Looking back at the first two Toy Stories, those same characters and hilarious moments come back into my mind, but there too, hiding in what appears to be the shadows, is something that all of us need to understand.

Not only in those shadows do I see dusty old toys and Disney magic, but I see something that really brings out the best in Disney and Pixar...the lessons that have been learned. In the first Toy Story, we were taught the meaning of Friendship, as Woody goes through periods of jealousy over Andy's new toy...Buzz, and eventually ends up as we all know he does, best friends with a space toy, who took his place to a point, it shows us all that no matter how different you are...you always will have a friend in that other "toy". As Toy Story 2 came out and continued the saga of Toys, we introduce new characters, ones that will once again, capture our hearts in a different way, and although the lesson of friendship is similar, it also shows us that we should never give up, and that you should always be loyal to those friends, no matter how much trouble they seem to be in.

But once you come upon the Third part of the Story, everything takes a turn. Andy is grown up, and heading off to College. Many toys are missing, including Bo Peep, known to Woody as someone to love. The Toys have been split, many donated to different places, and some, just thrown into the trash. What the toys have dreaded all those years with Andy is finally upon them, and its time to face it. The toys find themselves in more than one place where it seems impossible to escape, and at one point, which seems the end, hold hands, and prepare for the end of their lives. But as they escape more than once, and they eventually make it back to Andy as he prepares to leave for College, Woody must make the decision of his life, one that will change everything we know about the gang, and as I believe, about Disney. Andy donates the toys again, but to a place where Woody knows is wonderful, and as Andy comes upon Woody in the box, something inside Andy shows us that time does move too quickly. We all grow up in our lives, and continue to escape those though times, just as the Toys did, but the lesson in Toy Story 3 is something that not even I can explain with words.

To understand the lesson, you need to see the movie, and as Andy thinks about all those good times with the gang, something inside of you will click too, something that will make you think about the lesson, but first...you need to just pull it out of the shadows.

Success in the Form of Disney

Success can come in many forms. Forms of an A on a paper, forms of small successes, like opening a jar that no one else could. Large successes like getting a big promotion you have wanted. But every success needs a reason, like the blame on someone, but the opposite. Its like we always need someone or something to "blame" for our success.

Sure when I got the perfect score on my art project or my civics presentation I could say that it was my success, and I caused it, which I did. Yet, I was not alone. I have found that Disney throughout my life has made me more successful. I have learned to always try my best, because that is a lesson that Walt Disney taught the world. When there was a war, he didn't give up. If he was sick or hurt, he didn't give up. When he lost Oswald the Lucky Rabbit, he still didn't give up. Each time something set him back, he turned around and kept on going. Our world would not be where it is today if he had just given up.

I have learned many lessons from Disney, but the one I treasure most is the one that really shows that we can succeed if we try our hardest and never give up. Even if we fail in the end, we can still look at ourselves and see success because we tried the hardest, and that is all that matters. I think that this is a lesson that keeps me going. It pushes me to get good grades, to finish that homework even in the late hours of the night. And when I feel like I am about to give up, I think of Disney, and Disney is what gets me through each day. We just always have to "keep moving forward" and we will always succeed.