My granddaughter, Amya & I, try to spend quality time together when feasible. Fishing, movies, painting, riding bikes, walking the dog and reading to encourage her to WRITE.
Amya has several journals or "diaries" as she refers them to as she would, being only 8, very impressionable. Hopefully keeping a "diary" will eventually have an effect on Amya and inspire her to write all the lessons that life has to offer her, and what she would do with them.
Which brings to the movie "Coraline"; A lesson in "Be wary of what you wish for."
Coraline Jones (who incidentally is made to be from Michigan;} moves to Oregon is naturally bored and misses her old friends. Neglected by her parents as they are busy, (on the computers, lol), is encouraged to "explore the 150 year old house, only to keep her out of their hair.
Finally weary of her tedious task her inquiry takes her outside where she encounters a sly black cat who is just as curious of her as she is of her new surroundings.
Also she meets" Wybee" grandson to the woman who owns and rents apartments there at "The Pink Palace" where they have taken up residence. Wybee also wonders "why" his grandmother would rent to her family as one of the stipulations are, "No children."
But nevertheless...He also "finds a doll" gives it to Coraline (a doll older than his grandmother) that coincidentally looks just like her not realizing that the doll is magically hexed!
She eventually finds a secret door in the house that leads her into a parallel world that's just like her own, but better!
Crawling through it's mysterious depths she finds the "other world" so much similar to "Dorothy's Land Of OZ."
Caring parents, dreams to good too be true, and meals to die for, the "other mother" lures her into staying forever.
Each time she travels through the secret door passage, as if "a dare," the allure of the venture becomes more and more intoxicating for Coraline to resist.
This great fantastic adventure turns dangerous and Coraline must rely on her bravery and cleverness to trick the "other mother" who only wants Coraline for her own evil purposes.
The other mother who incidentally is really a wicked spider, luring children into her "metaphorical web." "Tricks them with all her treats" into giving up their eyes for buttons thus losing their soul to her as well.
The only other help she has is the sly black cat whom travels through the parallel world as he pleases, which upsets the evil spider as she cannot contain him.
He tells Coraline that he is "too clever" as he can speak only when in the other world. Explaining to her it's boundaries, cautions , how to escape the other mother's fantasies and illusions.
Coincidentally the cat's voice sounds very much like the classic British born actor Claude Rains whose voice is very dignified. He is one of my very favorites and probably his most famous role would be that of French Police Capt. Renault; "Major Strasser has been shot! Round up the usual suspects!" ~Casablanca
Anyways, back to the story......................
Coraline goes through a rough time learning in the illusionary world as in real life, that there are challenges, risks, fears; good & evil.
To take the adventures , the quests life has to offer but with reasonable cautions.
Amya: May you walk through many doors as you grow older. Use your adventurous mind, reach out, be a wide-eyed, wild-hearted explorer, BUT... take HEED of "flying monkeys", big bad wolves, evil witches and any secret doors."
Don't ever be afraid of living; only be afraid of the unlived life.
Be all that GOD intended you to be and use all the gifts he has given you.
May you and your brother, little sister, prosper, be happy, be mindful of "THEE," and live to be 103!
Con todo mi carino, your Grandfather,
~LJS
