What I Learned from the Little Mermaid

Last night my friend and I went to see the Broadway performance of the Little Mermaid. This wonderful musical about the story of Ariel, a young mermaid who wanted a better life for herself and was determined to do it brought back many memories. As a young girl, I remember watching beautiful Ariel who, although she had a perfect life under the sea, she wanted something more. Unfortunately, her family completely misunderstood her and couldn’t fathom why in the world she wasn’t satisfied with where she was. Why wasn’t it enough to live in the ocean with them, when they had so much to be grateful for? She had a gift of an amazing voice and was the star among her sisters, but despite all of that, it wasn’t enough for her. You see, she had a bigger vision for herself that involved being a part of a different life, one where she would walk and dance among humans, and explore and see different things.
I could totally relate to Ariel, who knew that deep down in her soul she was meant for something magical and beyond what anything or anyone at home could give her. She had a big dream and despite her Dad not being supportive, she was strongminded and focused on living above the sea. She was a very courageous young woman, who despite all of the people against her decision, maintained a fierceness determination to go after what she was longing for. When she could get glimpses of the life she aspired to have, this just encouraged her even more.

Only You Know What is Right for You
While your parents may love you and want to protect you, only you know what is truly right for you. Despite what our parents and friends want for us, it is not always what is in our best interest. It is so important to follow your heart, listen to your intuition, and not care what anyone else thinks. What often happens with well-meaning parents is that they have an expectation of your life that they think will most likely keep you safe and protected, but it may not necessarily be what you really want to do. It’s okay to not want what your parents want, to not want to do or become what they want for you. As it so often happens, teenagers and young adults that are in tune with their creativity, who may be artists, actors, dancers, etc. don’t always end up in careers that are aligned with their natural gifts. These children may have been born with a talent and are able to explore and grow their abilities through elementary, middle, and high school, but once it comes time to get a college degree and pick a major, or time to find a real life adult job, they may stop pursuing what they know in their hearts they were meant to do. They give in and pick the “logical” track which seems great at first but when you look back over the course of your life, you will always wonder what would have happened it if you had followed your passion.

Good Friends will Have Your Back
Ariel is surrounded by some caring and unbelievable friends who were always looking out for her. While they didn’t agree with why she wanted a life outside of the water, they did see that her dream was the only thing that could make her happy. They decided to have her back and support her in any way they could. Even when she makes a very sporadic decision to give up her voice in exchange for the chance to spend her life outside of the water, her friends didn’t leave her side. They supported her challenge of getting the man to kiss her within three days, and they did everything they could to make sure he did indeed fall in love with her, even setting the mood when they are in the lagoon together. When the evil witch Ursula took her handsome prince away from her, and was on the verge of marrying him, her friends were the ones who came to the rescue. They gathered all of their sea friends and caused enough of a disruption that the witch disguised as a princess was uncovered as who she really was and Ariel gets her voice, and the prince, back once and for all. Her friends were there for her, despite the fact that they knew she was making bad decisions, and they helped her the best they could. Real friends are there to support you no matter what.

Keep the Dream Alive, Despite the Obstacles
Even when times are tough and things aren’t going the way you wanted them to, keeping the faith that your dream is going to come true is necessary, no matter what. When Ariel has just gotten yelled at by her father, despite that he wants her to give up her dream of living with humans, she won’t let it go. She knows what she wants, and this obstacle isn’t going to stop her. As Ariel faces even more obstacles, like losing her voice, and watching her prince fall in love with the wicked witch Ursula, she doesn’t sit on the sidelines and cry or feel sorry for herself. She adjusts what she needs to do and keeps going after it. Then, later, once her father has come around to accepting that his daughter is going to live with human beings, she convinces him to give her the legs that she has always dreamed of having.

Diversity is a Positive Thing
Two people with very different backgrounds can come together as one, united by love. Although Ariel is from the sea and her new husband is from a different world, in the end of the story, they all come together in harmony. As important as it is to hold on to your roots and know where you come from, it is also important to take a step back and look at the world with a birds eye-view. Staying open to learning from people different than you can challenge your thinking and you may end up on a new adventure or with new ideas. Giving other concepts a chance is  see how other people experience the world, and you may end up with a new way of life that could take you down a path you would have never dreamed up on your own.

​Keep Singing and Dancing
When you are comfortable and confident enough to sing your song and dance your dance, life will lead you down some exhilarating paths. The world needs more people who aren’t afraid to go against popular thinking. Become brave enough to take the risk to actually go after what it is that you want in life and let your destiny unfold. You are your own definition of beautiful, worthwhile, and wise and when you are courageous enough to feel the insecurity but go after it anyway, you have shown the world that it is okay to  try and have given other people permission to do the same.  

NOW...I'd love to hear FROM YOU!! In the comments section below, let me know about a time when you did something that wasn't what your parents or friends wanted for you, but you were determined to do it so went after it anyway!

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