I couldn’t help but notice all the eyes staring out at me from the big screen last night while watching Tim Burton’s Alice in Wonderland. I’m sure the costumes were spectacular and the set designs impressive, but those eyes. They directed the action, the dialogue, the mannerisms, the message.
Leonardo da Vinci said “The eye sees a thing more clearly in dreams than the imagination awake.” What is the purpose of our eyes if not to see the world around us? Or the purpose of a dream if not to clarify in sleep what our imaginations so clumsily paint while awake?
During this second visit to Wonderland, Alice sincerely believes she is dreaming and so keeps pinching herself to wake up – only to discover that not only is she not dreaming, but she also hasn’t been seeing things for what they really are, most of all – herself.
Johnny Depp’s magnificent Mad Hatter frankly tells Alice, “You used to be much more…’muchier.’ You’ve lost your muchness.” Ultimately, Alice – like each of us – must choose to either embrace the muchness others see in her (and that is difficult at times to see in ourselves), or to walk away satisfied with the status quo.
Alice Kingsley: This is impossible.
The Mad Hatter: Only if you believe it is.Alice Kingsley: Sometimes I believe in as many as six impossible things before breakfast.
The Mad Hatter: That is an excellent practice.
To Alice’s credit – she looks for her muchness and in the process sees herself in ways most of us never even imagine, let alone dream. And then with eyes wide open, but looking inward, she chooses: much.
How often do we limit personal growth because we fail to open our eyes and see the endless possibilities available to us?
I wonder. . . how much muchier can I become? I think I need a good night’s sleep to elucidate my potential.
If you like this post, you can subscribe to receive regular doses of encouragement and inspiration to help you on your way:
Interesting point view of a movie that uses an interesting point of view to deliver entertaining symbolism. Using your interpretation as a backdrop, you could say that it’s important that Alice discovers her muchness only after being drawn into an under-world or sub-existence, not unlike our own sub-conscious. And like our sub-concious, it is THE place that offers us a view of ourselves as we really are; timeless and without boundaries.
Of course, all of this could be far more than Lewis Carroll ever intended to convey through ‘Alice’. He might say this is a bunch of highbrow pontification but thanks for teeing it up for conversation. It’s a rabbit hole worth falling into.
Elucidate? Seriously? Wow.
I’m seeing this movie.
“How often do we limit personal growth because we fail to open our eyes and see the endless possibilities available to us?”
Awesome.
To ponytail on Bill’s statement here’s a quote from Nelson Mandela:
“Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, ‘Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous?’ Actually, who are you not to be? . . . . Your playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won’t feel insecure around you. . . . And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.”
Correction: It was actually Marianne Williamson , not Nelson Mandela, who was quoted above. (http://marianne.iamplify.com/about.jsp)
A & V – Thank you for your thoughts. It makes me think of how much more I can be today. and….how much I am learning about Arminda!
Happy Birthday.
First-time-Arminda-Blog-Commenter here, so go easy on me!
How I so wish I were at the same place as Victor and Marianne Williamson. It has been a lifelong struggle of mine to feel that who I am (inside and out) is adequate. For me, it is not “How often do we limit personal growth because we fail to open our eyes and see the endless possibilities available to us?” but rather…”How often do I limit my personal growth because I fail to see the possibilities with the gifts and talents I possess?”
Arminda, that last statement reminds me of our discussion at lunch today (4/13)! “I’ll have the hummus, please!”
Kathy,
The vision of you starts within. The words are just semantics, but the sentiment is the same: Embrace You and the light within you can’t help but shine. Remember – it’s taking the bushel off the candle that allows others to see its light. Open yourself to the possibility of all that is within and your own light will show you which path to follow. And the amazing thing about that path? It’s your own, and where you find yourself on it is exactly where you are meant to be. It will never matter where anyone else is located – just you. Enjoy your journey, my friend.