Think Lovely Thoughts!

I was speaking with a friend of mine a while ago about a movie that we had seen and he asked me why I like it. He didn’t really enjoy it because it was a sad story. I have been thinking about this. Many of the movies and Theatre that I enjoy the most are more on the sad side. Now I am (I like to think) a pretty happy and optimistic person. I like to be happy and spread it to others around me. Why then do I like to watch things that are more on the heartrending and distressing side? As I have thought about this I have come to the conclusion that I like to analyze shows. And I love discussing them with other theatre practitioners. And I think that what we could call those ‘sad’ performances lend themselves to being deeper and more poignant.
While shows that are more fluffy and merely for entertainments sake to have an ‘escape’ from the real world are nice sometimes I would rather go and see something that makes me think and makes me lean in and engage in the action of the film or performance.
With that being said I was student teaching at Lone Peak high school last semester. And I got to help direct the musical Peter Pan. Now this is a show that is more on the entertainment/fluffy side of the spectrum. It was fun. I love directing really no matter what it is. The show came together really well! My students did a great job.
As I was watching the performance one night something struck me that I hadn’t thought of before. (Now I am assuming that you know the basic story line of Peter Pan- if not I need to have words with your parents because that’s sad.) We were at the part of the show where Peter is teaching Wendy, John and Michael how to fly. And Peter says, “All you have to do is think lovely wonderful thoughts and up you go!” and Peter takes off into the air!
The children repeat to themselves, “Think Lovely Thoughts!...think Lovely Thoughts!” they think… then start shouting out the lovely thoughts that come into their mind. Each of them is able to fly! At this point the Spirit spoke to me; “There you go Kristy! There it is! If you want to fly all you have to do is Think Lovely Thoughts!” MAN! Such a wonderful and powerful message in this simple children’s story!
If we want to “fly” in life that is all we need to do:
#1 think lovely thoughts!
#2 say them out loud!
…that’s it! And you can fly!
I believe in the power of words! If you SAY you can do something then you CAN! Goes along with the old adage of, “whether you say you can or can’t- you are right!”
Words are powerful! And when we think lovely thoughts and then say them out loud – we can then put our actions into place and we CAN fly – and we can do things and reach places that we and others never even knew were possible – Even to the 2nd star on the right Never Never Land! Because of Lovely Thoughts we can reach and do those things that are ‘never’ supposed to be. I love that!
There is another Interesting point that as I thought back and analyze more about the show and thinking lovely thoughts I realized: the children don’t take off to fly on their FIRST lovely thought…
John: Fishing
Wendy: Hopscotch
Michael: Candy
John: Picnics
Wendy: Summer
Michael: Candy!
John: Sailing
Wendy: Flowers
Michael: CANDY!
Then Peter comes in with very wise counsel and encouragement for the youngest boy…
“Lovelier Thoughts Michael!”
There is possibly a moment of frustration here for the young boy…what could possibly be lovelier than candy! But instead of being discouraged he thinks harder on his lovely thoughts. Then Michael realizes that there IS something more! Something Lovelier!
Michael: CHRISTMAS!
…and THAT is the thought that makes him fly.
We won’t always fly on our first lovely thought. It may take many different lovely thoughts. That is what I am learning right now. I have had many lovely thoughts in the past, and also now as I have graduated from college, that I would like to do. More than anything I want to fly! But I have to find the right lovely thought that will allow me to do so.
The goal is to not get discouraged and to keep on thinking lovely thoughts till we achieve the right one that will help us fly.
When I first meet people who say they recently returned home from their mission the advice I tell them is, “Its okay- it gets better I promise” A lot of newly returned missionaries feel lost and in the dark and like their purpose has been taken from them. They no longer have a busy schedule filled with daily teaching appointments and lessons. They don’t have people to watch over and take care of. And they aren’t quite sure of where they are going and what to do next…even if there are rough plans set out for them.
I am experiencing a version of this as a college graduate- my busy schedule is gone, I don’t have homework, assignments and projects to do and I no longer have students to care after. And I have no idea what my future holds.
I now look to my own advice that I have given to many others– “don’t worry, it gets better.”
I am also trying to follow the advice of Peter Pan as I am looking to my future and “Think Lovely Thoughts!”
That is the wisdom that I found in the show that I directed. This goes right along with a quote that I recently discovered by Anatole France.
“To accomplish great things we must not only act but also dream, not only plan but also believe.” So never let anyone (this includes yourself and the devil) tell you that you can’t do something! Keep on dreaming, keep in believing and always THINK LOVELY THOUGHTS!