And forget not that the earth delights to feel your bare feet and the winds long to play with your hair. ~ Kahlil Gibran



Sunday, February 24, 2008

It's The Strangest Thing...

Have you ever noticed how the things you do, see, and hear in childhood seem so much different as an adult?

Let's take movies for example, because that is what is on my mind.

I loved the Anne of Green Gables books as a child (still do), and that spilled over unto the movies starring Megan Follows as Anne.

I watched Anne of Green Gables and Anne of Avonlea with the lady I take care of this past weekend, and I was so surprised at how differently I view them after not seeing them for a few years.

I found myself noticing more the "filler" comments that were made by the characters, and mentally noting how they reinforced the period sense of the film. I found myself no longer identifying with Anne so completely, and instead focusing on the changes that occur in Matthew and Marilla. It was far more interesting to me to observe the secondary characters of the movie and to think about how the different relationships change.

How odd.

A part of me appreciates the changes that are happening to me. I know that they are the product of "growing up" and sometimes I make startling observations.

The other part of me mournes the loss of my childish ability to become completely lost in the story and not notice acting techniques and subplots.

It really is the strangest thing to notice how you change.

8 comments:

Kati said...

I've noticed similar, though not with Anne of Green Gables (which I also thoroughly love!), but with books moreso. Like I can reread my old favorites (Anne McCaffery's Pern novels; FH Burnette's _Little Princess_ and _Secret Garden_; Lois Gladys Leppard's Mandie series; _Last of the Really Great Whangdoodles_ and _Mandy_ by Julie Andrews Edwards) and see so many different aspects now than I noticed when I was a kid. Doesn't make me love them any less, just differently. Though, there have been 1 or 2 movies (not so well made as Anne of Green Gables) that have struck me as somewhat odd from a now thoroughly adult point of view, than they did when I was still closer to teen years. Like "10 Things I Hate About You" Not a bad movie, still, but it's much more immature than I thought it was a simple 5 years ago. And "Dirty Dancing".... I no longer quite identify with "Baby" like I used to.

This maturity in viewing & reading is something of a sad thing, but think of how it allows us to view movies (old faves, and new finds) on a much fuller level! We can now appreciate the nuances that we didn't used to see. And the maturity & wisdom of the older folks in these movies & books.

I hope you find yourself still enjoying them, while also being able to learn from them in a whole new way.

RuthieJ said...

Hi Barefoot,
This has nothing whatsoever to do with your post, but when I opened your blog it was Janis Joplin singing "Bobby McGee." I read & typed really slow so I could listen to the end of the song. Boy, that girl could sing, couldn't she?

barefoot gardener said...

Kati-
gosh, now I have to read the Pern novels again. I haven't read those in years!

Ruthie-
I am so glad you like Janis as much as I do! You know, you can click on my playlist and then click on whatever song you want to hear (or even pause it, if you just don't want to listen to the music). That way, the next time you get an itch for Janis, you can come on over and help yourself!

jenny said...

I read Pillars of the Earth 3 or 4 times when I was a teen and each time I read it, I noticed something different about the book. I know that if I were to read it again today after about 10 years of not reading it, I will probably focus on something else, too!

I think it happens to all of us, but some of us notice things a little differently than others.

Preity Angel... said...

I like your blog alott...

Keep it up .. will be back

Greg C said...

I watched some old movies that I saw as a child and I remember thinking wow did I used to think that was funny? I really have changed.

whimsical brainpan said...

It is an odd feeling. Still I suppose it is necessary if we want to grow.

brad said...

Is part of it because you know the story and that makes it different, because you don't have to pay attention to the main plot features because you know where it's going?

... but in whatever we are exposed to, we pay attention to the features that ... resonate with our current mental state, which is much different as an adult.

So many answers.