When something seems too easy,
difficulty is hiding in the details.
—Tao Te Ching - Verse 63
I used to be pretty dead behind the eyes when it came to watching movies, but somewhere along the line of healing, I’ve become far more in tune with my “feelings.” For example, I recently watched The Lion King for the first time since childhood. I wasn’t expecting a cartoon with happy sing-along songs to touch me, but between Mufasa’s death, the “Can you feel the love tonight?” scene, and Simba’s redemption arc, I found some of those pesky little emotions bubbling up to the surface.
Sappy stuff aside, one thing that stuck out was the “Hakuna Matata” phase Simba went through. This two-word, problem-free philosophy was purported to solve all your problems. It emptied life of worries and filled it with eating and swimming in paradise. But while that catchy little tune has you singing along so happily, underneath was nothing but the hedonistic escape from a painful past. Living a life of impulsive pleasures and doing whatever you want can be appealing for a while, but that youthful phase can only last so long.
Fortunately, Nala appears, with her allure of an ideal love that awakens Simba to his higher calling, humbling him with resentment toward the avoidant outcast he’s become while hanging out with his dopey pals.
As Simba begins reaching for the dangling carrot that will eventually lead him toward living up to his potential, Timon and Pumbaa sing a duet that says, “If he falls in love tonight, it can be assumed… his carefree days with us are history. In short, our pal is doomed.” Yeah, doomed to take on moral responsibilities and fulfill his destiny, sung from the viewpoint of two bums who just sit around and eat grub all day. (How ’bout takin’ a hike, you worthless warthog and miserable meerkat! Simba’s got bigger things to do.)
I’m all about giving credit where it’s due, so let’s just sum this little reflection up by pointing out the true champion of our story: Without Nala, the low-key heroine that drew the lion king out of his self-indulgent slumber, Scar would still be ruling over Pride Rock today.
#LongLiveTheQueen