Why I Love Peter Pan

I watched the 2003 Peter Pan movie last night with my niece and nephew, and once again that movie released such passionate, magical vision!  Here is why I love Peter Pan so much... 
But first of all you should know a few facts:

1. Happy Thoughts lift you into the air (so that you can FLY!)

2. Unhappy thoughts bring you down

3. Peter Pan has no unhappy thoughts.  He is the happiest boy in the universe, and thus the most skilled flyer

4.  Hook can't fly because he is a villain, evil, and thus has no happy thoughts

5.  Pixie Dust also helps you fly, but it only lasts so long

6.  Pixie Dust reminds me of Gold Dust from Heaven

7. Thimbles = Kisses 

8. Peter Pan's mood controls the weather

(The pirates always know when Peter Pan is back in Neverland because the weather is always Happy and 'Spring-like')

9. Neverland is where 'time stands still'

10. The Crocodile represents 'time' following Hook around

OK!  So, now that you have all the FACTS, here are some of the reasons why I love the Peter Pan story so much.

The Kiss

When Peter Pan came to Wendy's nursery (or bedroom) to catch his shadow, Wendy helped sew his shadow back on.  She was captivated by Peter Pan.  She wanted to give him a kiss, but Peter didn't know what a kiss was.  So, not to embarrass him (for she had compassion on this young naive boy), she gave him the thimble that was still on her finger from when she sewed his shadow on him.  In exchange, Peter pulled an acorn off of his leafy outfit and gave it to Wendy as a 'kiss.'  To Peter, it was just an even exchange, but Wendy cherished it by putting it on a string and tying it around her neck.

Later, when Wendy is flying in Neverland (and is separated from Peter and her brothers because of an attack from the pirates), Tinker Bell, who is extremely jealous of this girl who has captured Peter Pan's attention, tells the Lost Boys that Peter Pan wants them to shoot the "Wendy-Bird."  So, Tootles gets the lucky shot, and down Wendy falls.  When the Lost Boys ran to where Wendy fell and realized she was no bird, but a lady, they were afraid of what Peter would do.  When Peter showed up and saw his precious Wendy, the story-teller, lying there supposedly dead, his justice button was pushed as he demanded, "Who's arrow?!"  Just as Tootles surrendered, they heard Wendy breathe in.  Peter looked where the arrow struck, and to his surprise the arrow had only hit the acorn hanging around Wendy's neck!  Peter exclaims, "It's my kiss!  My kiss saved her!"  Now, Peter has great value for his kiss.  

At the end, when Peter Pan and Hook are having their final battle, Hook seems to be winning, for he starts to feed Peter unhappy thoughts about how Wendy is leaving him, and how Peter isn't good enough for her.  Peter starts believing Hook's lies and Peter becomes weaker and weaker.  Just when everyone, (Lost Boys included) think Hook is going to defeat Peter Pan, Wendy breaks free from a pirate's hold and Hook lets her say her pitiful goodbye to Peter.  She goes to give Peter something, to which Hook stops her, until she explains, "it's only a thimble."  Little did Hook know what a powerful 'thimble' it really was.  So, Wendy leans in and whispers to Peter "this belongs to you and always will," and she KISSES him!  Their first true kiss!  Peter becomes so charged by her kiss that there is an explosion of light and power!  He shoots into the sky with more power than ever before and defeats Hook once and for all!  

Therefore, Wendy's kiss saved Peter Pan's life, gave him power to overcome the darkest evil, and gave him joy unspeakable - sustaining ecstasy that he's never experienced before!

Click on image to see this magical scene

How beautiful is that story?!  The power of a kiss!  The power of happy thoughts!  The power of LOVE!

Happy Thoughts

Another significant part of the Peter Pan story is that the weather condition of Neverland is subject to Peter Pan's mood.  This is especially evident when Tinker Bell dies in Peter Pan's hands.  Hook tries to poison Peter Pan with a liquid poison of 'malice, jealousy and disappointment.'  Knowing this would be fatal to Peter Pan, Tink drank it to save his life.  This sadly lead to her own death, and Peter was so devastated!  Not only had Wendy and the Lost Boys just left him to go 'grow up,' now his very best friend is dead!  Meanwhile, unbeknownst to Peter, Wendy and the Lost Boys were captured on the pirate ship, and a storm came rolling in - raging waves, thunder & lightning, black skies...  They could even hear the cry of agony from Peter Pan, and Hook thought Peter Pan must be dead.  After all, the weather did reflect an absence of happiness, an absence of who Peter Pan is...

The Power of FAITH

Peter, in his despair, is convicted with justice, and a childlike faith comes over him.  He begins to declare "I do believe in fairies!  I do!  I do!"  He says it over and over, and Wendy hears it in her spirit.  So she begins to declare aloud the same thing. The Lost Boys chime in, and then pretty soon children all around the world start declaring, while they're sleeping, 'I do believe in fairies!  I do!  I do!'  Even the pirates (except Hook) join in, as well as Wendy's parents and aunt!  It is a powerful powerful thing because Tinker Bell comes back to LIFE because of their FAITH and DECLARATION!  WOW!!!  That is resurrection power! Amen?

So, these are some of my most favorite things about J.M. Barrie's classic story of Peter Pan.  I think its message goes far beyond the obvious, and speaks of faith and power and love.  I am so touched by it and the story is endless - just like Neverland.  I find it interesting that the Tic-Tock of the Croc weaves in and throughout Neverland where 'time stands still.'  That in itself is an endless metaphor.  

I once wrote a song about the Crocodile, and how I would pin a note on the Crocodile's collar to some children whom I hadn't seen in awhile, to see if they still believed in beautiful things...

Do you still dance freely in the water

without a care in the world?

Do you still jump higher than your shadow

little boy, little girl?

I asked the Crocodile if you still wore wings

I know it's been awhile, so please, don't forget to sing...

Time is always moving,
but sometimes we aren’t aware of it until the Crocodile comes near.
The tic-tock pierces through us, awakening us to reality.
The children giggle at the sound of the Crocodile,
but we, being frantic, jolt backwards into a ricochet of memories.
Moving pictures recapture our spirits, and we are lost in a trance of stories.
Slowly, we move closer to wake, and the muffled tic-tock gets clearer and louder until we find ourselves back in our shoes.
Funny, how a child can age several years in just a few moments when the Crocodile is around.
Funny, how their laughter never ages, never fades, never dies, no matter where the Crocodile is.
Are you living, child?
I asked the Crocodile if you still jumped high, but he doesn’t speak with words;
he only reverberates the constant reminder that you are still out there.
Do you still dance freely in the water? Do you still wear your wings and sing to the sky?
I pinned a note on the Crocodile’s collar. It says to never forget your freedom, never let go, never give up...
I hope you get it...

Love,

Bethany