Pixar’s Inside Out is a phenomenal movie that touches the heart of every age. The movie follows the story of a young girl named Riley and her emotions that help her cope with every day life (Joy, Anger, Disgust, Fear, and Sadness). It is a great movie that portrays how our emotions drive our life. In a manner that is funny, and easy to understand for kids, yet at the same time very insightful for adults, Inside Out touches upon the real pain that sadness can have on our life.

Pixar has truly hit home on how sadness can overcome someone so quickly, and how hard it can be for others to truly understand a deeper level of sadness. Though it is not labeled as a movie about depression, nor should it, it is a truly remarkable interpretation and portrayal on how those who are struggling with deep sadness and hurt can get to such a low place. Remarkable. Well-done Pixar for opening the door to these conversations, especially to a family audience- where these messages are so important to communicate.  

Fairytale endings.

Isn't that what every girl hopes for?  You meet a guy and....click! Everything works.  He's fun.  He's attentive.  He's considerate.  He tells you he loves everything about you.

Until one day he doesn't.

In one awful moment, your fairytale ending gets shattered in as many pieces as your heart.  The broken shards pierce and hurt.

I just ate a slice of watermelon, and what a disappointment it was!  My watermelon had lost its flavor. I guess I should have expected it.  It had been hidden in the back of the refrigerator for a couple of days.  

That's how it works, right?  Things unused lose their effectiveness.

     An unused car doesn't start.
     Unused muscles waste away.
     Unused leather gloves grow stiff.

It's funny how many principals in our physical world teach us about the principals in our spiritual world.

When we isolate ourselves in our bedrooms, the same thing happens to our lives: They lose their "flavor."

Our lives are made for us to live.
We have an innate need to connect with other people.  

The less we do this, the more lonely we become, and the worse our quality of life becomes.  As my grandma used to tell me, "We reap what we sew."  If we're putting ourselves in lonely, isolated places, we will feel more lonely and isolated. And according to scientists, this leads to all sorts of mental and physical problems.

So how do we turn our lives around if we're stuck in a place of not wanting to engage with others?

The first step is to get small doses of positive interactions, like little doses of medicine for our souls. We can say to someone, "Isn't it a great day?" (Yes, even if we don't feel like it) or "Hey, I like your shirt."  Their positive answers will make us feel better.  We should do this every day.

Slowly, over time, those minutes will add up and we'll begin to feel more like venturing out.  Our lives won't be hidden any more and they will slowly be filled with moments we can savor.

I had something terrible happen last week, and I found myself sinking in a pool of hurt.

I tried to heal the wound, but I couldn't.

Helpful people said things like:
        Just get over it.
        Make a new start.
        Try not to think about it.

I tried to do what they said, but the pain in my heart kept capturing my attention.

I was afraid I would hurt forever.

Things didn't get better until I decided to STOP.
        Stop trying to control the situation.
        Stop trying to read the future.
        Stop trying to earn love and respect.

I gave myself permission to REST and think about the value of my worth.  Yes, something awful happened, but it doesn't determine WHO I am. 

There's a great quote in the movie, "Kung Fu Panda 2": 

Your story may not have a happy beginning, but that doesn't make you who you are.  It is the rest of your story...who you choose to be.

There's something comforting about knowing our circumstances don't affect the value of who we are.  It makes the bad things less hurtful.  It empowers us to overcome even terrible things and say, "This is not how my story will end."

This is not how my story will end.