Book Review: Peter Pan

"Second star to the right and straight on 'til morning."

I'm plugging away at my 2015 reading list like an elephant, one bite at a time. The next book checked off the list is Peter Pan. Check!

"If growing up means it would be beneath my dignity to climb a tree, I'll never grow up"

This book had it's own creative way of speaking to the reader; it was very poetic and also had a very youthful way telling a story. There were many times when things were explained and it was described in such a way as if a child were explaining it to you. It was a fun reminder of how we look at life and the world differently at different stages in our life.

"I'm not young enough to know everything."

There was one interesting moment in the book where Peter was wrapping a parcel and he was trying to tie it with a string but the string was not long enough to wrap around it and so Peter got mad and kicked the parcel. The narrator then explained that technically it was not the parcel's fault but it was the string's fault for not being long enough. How many times in life do we get wrong at something that it is not the problem, only because it is easier than getting upset at the actual problem?

"We are all failures - at least the best of us are"

I would recommend reading the book, it was different but still enjoyable. It was beautiful and sad. I loved that is was full of wonder, magic and imagination. I also loved the fun, thought provoking, quotes throughout the book.

"God gave us memory so that we might have roses in December."

I've always wanted to read Peter Pan because I have a little love of Peter Pan and Neverland. Because of this love, I wonder if I could have forced myself to love the book. I grew up playing make believe in the backyard of a childhood friend's yard and we would spend hours for days during the summer running around, jumping on his tramp, and flying off to Neverland. He was always Peter Pan and I was always Tiger Lilly (I didn't like Wendy much when I was little. She was a "Sissy.") I love the idea that Neverland is an example of adventure, being true to your self, and imagination.

"Those who bring sunshine to the lives of others cannot keep it from themselves."

Life seemed unstoppable when we were young, but as we get older it seems to have more possibilities but also more restrictions. I love books like this because it is a reminder life is beautiful and it doesn't have to be hard. This read was another reminder to not take life so seriously and not to be afraid to do the impossible. One fun thought about the book was how the island of Neverland and it's characters were representations of life. The pirates represented adulthood while the lost boys represented childhood and they constantly were chasing each other around the island (also the shape of a clock, representing time). Just as we as children couldn't wait to grown up and sometimes as adults we are jealous of children; we're always chasing the other.

"Dreams do come true, if only we wish hard enough. You can have anything in life if you will sacrifice everything else for it"

 

The particular book that I read had the most amazing artwork; it went right along with the magic and the youthful writing. Just a fun extra tid bit.

"All the world is made of faith, and trust, and pixie dust."

Time Capsule

If you were to make a time capsule today, to be opened in ten years, what would you put inside of it?

In January of 2000 we had just survived Y2K and I made a time capsule for 10 years, however I did not open it until 12 years later and am now blogging about it 15 years later. It was funny to see the things I had predicted as a 12 year old and how UN-practical some of my predictions were.

Items in the Capsule:

Well the capsule had some random items, some things I predicted for my future written out, a letter from my mom and lots of pictures.

Most recent family photo at the time

1st day of school

 These guys were my first friends growing up and a few months before this capsule Mark, in the middle, passed away. I remember this picture being a big comfort at the time. I suppose I put it in the capsule so that I would never forget him.

 Best friend

 6th grade photos (school and dance)

 Funny that I put a KitKat in the capsule but yet I listed 100 Grand as my most favorite candy bar. Perhaps I ate the 100 Grand I planned to put in the capsule.

Clearly a foreshadow to my poetry talents. I still don't like being called Amy M. today if there are multiple Amys. I rather be called by a nick name or Amy Jo.

 My most favorite bookmark (it was a huge sacrifice to put it in the time capsule) and a Beanie Baby (I was obsessed).

Things I predicted:

• I will be married to Andrew Payne. (Best friend since the diapers days and still a great friend today; and I love his wife - they are perfect together)
• I was married in the Jordan River temple. (That's funny, today I want it to be the Salt Lake Temple)
• I will have 4 children. (I wish someone would have explained to me that even though it is a good goal to know how many kids I wanted, having 4 by 22 years old was not practical at all)
• I will be living in Utah County (Yikes!)
• I will have a career in teaching. (The ironic thing about this is, I started college wanting nothing to do with teaching and today I love to do it whenever I get the chance. Should have stuck with my 12 year old guns.)
• The biggest accomplishment in my life so far will be getting a horse or a big house. (Ha! Still working on the horse and I would rather a small house; though I do like to entertain so maybe a small house BUT with a big place in the house to gather friends and family)
• I will have graduated from Utah State University. (Bingo! I did one thing I predicted.)

Just another example life does not go as planned but as long as we're working hard and doing our best; life still is good.

Things that were my "favorites" at the time (and what they are today):
Book: Someone Was Watching (The Secret Garden and Harry Potter series)
Sport: Dance (Dance)
Season of the Year: Summer (Summer and Fall)
Holiday: Christmas (Christmas Eve)
Family Trip: Florida (Florida, Hawaii)
Place to Visit: Uintas (Boston, NYC, and anywhere my passport will take me)
Clothes Store: Limited 2 (Banana Republic, JCrew, Anthropology, Nordstrom, H&M)
Scripture: 1 Nephi 2:3 (D&C 121:7-8)
Musical Group: Disney (Matt and Kim, OneRepublic, Angels and Airwaves, Coldplay, The Queen Bee ;), Flo Rida, Ingrid Michaelson, TSwift, Tegan and Sara, and pretty much anything from soundtracks and musicals)
Fast Food: Arby's (Jimmy Johns)
Candy Bar: 100 Grand (Take 5)
Car: Bug (Audi TT or Subaru Crosstrek)
Movie: Robin Hood Men in Tights (Sandlot, Sound of Music, Shawshank Redemption, Pitch Perfect, Remember the Titans, Tim Burton's Alice in Wonderland, Lord of the Rings, and Finding Neverland)
TV Show: FRIENDS (FRIENDS, Gilmore Girls, Arrow, and How I Met Your Mother)

A few excerpts from the letter from my mom:
"Right now you are 12 years old and excited about everything (except now and then your brother, Nathan!). You are in the sixth grade at Horizon Elementary and in Miss Mitchell's class. You love art, dance, horses, reading and being with your friends! You are very dramatic and love to pretend."

"You love the movie, Robin Hood Men in Tights, and have a great English accent when repeating lines from the movie! You are always smiling and on the go trying your best in everything you do."

"I wonder if you still like art. You are so creative and do such a beautiful job on everything you do. And what about dance? I hope you still enjoy it as much as you do now. You are a wonderful dancer and I never grow tired of watching you on stage! Speaking of "the stage" I wouldn't be surprised if you have been in a school play or two by now! You are quite the dramatic little actress always dressing up in something crazy like my long skirt, jackets, hats, shawls or Hawaiian wraps."

"You have always been so concerned about those less fortunate than yourself, the homeless, and those that need a friend. Every night you pray from the homeless and ask Heavenly Father to help them have a home someday."

"You love lists, making and working on goals, and getting things done. There is usually a list of things by your bed that you are working on and you love to cross things off when they are done."

So I ask again, if you were to make a time capsule today, to be opened in ten years, what would you put inside of it?

What I want to put in my next time capsule:

• Another list of things I would like to predict in the next 10 years.
• Personal and historic
• Another list of my favorite things right now.
• A CD of songs that are my favorite right now. (Ha, will we even know what CDs are in 10 years?) AND/OR songs that I would love to choreograph dances to.
• Picture of my family.
• Picture of friends.
• List of places I hope to travel to in my lifetime.
• $2 bill (ha, why not).
• Life bucket list.
• An old cell phone or iPod.