Like many of you I grew up loving Disney movies.  I never dreamed that one day I would hate them so, but as I had children and they started watching them, I began to secretly curse them as we watched the same ones, over and over and over. Movies that I loved as a child became torture.

One movie that was not torture was Mary Poppins.  Mainly because it is like 2 1/2 hours long and you can push play, and take a nice nap while the kiddos watch “Let’s Go Fly a Kite” and “Step in Time”.

Sometimes I would stop and think about how sad it was that my love for Disney movies had faded and then it came to me.  *Ding Ding*  What can I get out of this movie except just a nice long nap?  Humm.

Have you ever stopped and observed that there are some really great lessons for us as adults in these movies?  I mean they can send a great message to children (except from all the parent death–ack), but what can we get from these movies as adults?

The first Disney/Pixar movie that stands out to me is Finding Nemo.  Besides being a great animated flick there are some great underlying messages in this movie.  My favorite is “Just keep swimming”.

There was a time in my life that I was so overwhelmed that I had no idea which way to turn.  I can still remember the exact spot I was standing in when it came to me.  Just keep swimming.  And then I heard it..Dory.  “Just keep swimming, just keep swimming..what ya gotta do but swim, swim, swim”.  I was stuck and Dory just popped into my head and sang to me to keep moving forward.  Don’t stay stuck like a statue and afraid.  Just keep moving forward and new adventures await.  Seriously—all that from a Disney movie?  Maybe there are more life messages from us adult types in these Disney/Pixar movies?

That thought re-newed my love for Disney movies.  They really are not just for kids anymore.   Enjoy a Disney/Pixar movie.  You may get some life wisdom out of it and not just a nap.

Tags: Disney, Dory, life, Life Lessons, Pixar