'Finding Neverland'

The movie was magical, with a warm afterglow that accompanies as u leave the theatre after the show ended. And I watched it with 2 great pals. What a great way to remember this movie. And there cannot be another better time to watch this movie other than today…

It’s already a magical day to begin with, as I’ve said in the earlier blog, cuz I was handing out postcards and putting a smile on people’s faces. Too bad my digital camera ran out of battery, otherwise I would be snapping lotsa photos in school…

After I met Minghui at Orchard MRT, we were walking to Lido when a voice called us from behind and it belonged to Marabelle, an old friend whom I have not seen in ages. She was from NY and went on to RJC. A somewhat special friend cuz I got to know her better after OBS in Sec 3. A hug brought back those warm memories from NY days. And did I just mention earlier that I was missing the good, old days in NY when we used to write postcards to one another?

Marabelle was telling us to add her in MSN and TADA! We met another 2 NY friends, Yanling and Mildred. Gosh, I haven’t seen them in ages too, as im not in NUS. Oh gosh… Mildred was still so Mildred…. Hah… She’s still the same old her, the way she ‘oei’ me when I seemed to express ‘exasperation’ at having seen her! Sighz…. Only NY girls who know her will understand this… It’s sweet how some people can just remain the same after so many years… that warm feeling when u see them and it seems like it was just yesterday when we just graduated out from that ubiquitous white sleeveless uniform……. How time flies…

Jingyi joined us after that and hehe… she had quite a ‘big’ problem locating McCafe! :p Hehehe… We had dinner at the expense of my 1 cup of café latte there. Btw, Minghui loves the music there. Great place to chill if not for the occasional cigarette smoke.

Lido plays their movies on time now!!! Same went for the past few movies which I caught there. Don’t be late, guys… Or else u will might just miss the 1st few precious minutes of the show…

“Time chases us, eh?� as quoted from an old lady inside the film. Yeah, indeed. Do u remember how as a kid, we’ve always, and I really mean, ALWAYS, wanted to grow up faster so that we could have more freedom and be able to do the things we want? But now that im finally an adult, how I wish time would stop in its tracks. Because growing up is scary. It indeed is. So much more responsibilities to shoulder, and the inevitable issue of facing life and death, together with the heartbreak that comes along with it. This is clearly demonstrated in the movie when the boys have to face the cruel reality of the passing of their father. At the same time as im growing up, there will always be a kid in me, the one that wishes she never have to grow up, so that she need not go through the trials and tribulations of Life.

The other special theme being explored here in the movie reminds me of the book, ‘The Alchemist’, a favourite book recommended to me by Zhixian in JC1. I did not know how to appreciate the book then, but after I read it a 2nd time last year, I can definitely relate to it. There’s a theme in the book that kept recurring, “If u dream hard enough, the entire universe will conspire together to make that dream come true.� That’s certainly something very magical and I finally understood why my dear pal loves the book so much. ‘Finding Neverland’ reminds us of the innate human need to dream of the impossible, to ‘believe in something more enchanted than everyday life’ so that it can get us through the mundane existence of our routines. To dare to dream and not be afraid to be laughed at. Very sweet.

After the movie, believe it or not, we met another friend in the toilet! Wanling, my dear sweet ex-classmate, actually did not intend to visit that toilet in fact! And Minghui met her NJ friend as well. WHAT A COINCIDENCE!

3 of us parted at 2210. Minghui messaged me to tell me that she met Yanjie, yet another classmate of mine, on the bus! Scary. What’s with the evening? Things happened for a reason?

Just last weekend, I was telling a friend about this wallet that I took out to ‘survey’ and found NTUC receipts (from Coronation Plaza!), bus tickets and small notes dating from 1997! Goodness! I had wanted to throw everything into my ‘recycling envelope’ but after scrutinizing every piece of them, I placed them back into my wallet and kept it back in its original spot. All those memories from the NY days came rushing back…… How could I throw away these few pieces of seemingly insignificant paper which reminds me of the most memorable days in my school life and of which some of them are the most remarkable in my life?

Truly miss those NY days. They are what shaped me for who I am today. Somehow, this seems so in-tuned with the movie I have just watched. Missing those old days, those old days when I still possessed the child-like innocence in me, those old days when my eyes have not seen the ugly realities of the many aspects of Life, those old days when my spirit was weak and still need much buffing.

Despite the years that have gone by, I know I have a choice. I have a choice to keep the child in me alive. I have a choice to keep my dreams burning. It’s totally up to me. No one nor anything can take them away from me. Unless I succumb…

I love the way the movie ended. There was no romantic, lovey-dovey relationship between Depp and Winslet, but the love is there, beyond words and beyond understanding. It’s a kind of love which they understand they just needed each other.

Magical. I cannot find another appropriate word to describe the entire movie. U have to watch it yourself to feel the magic and find yourself. Hope u will enjoy it as much as I do.

My day had ended in a magical way…

“Young boys should never be sent to bed. They will always wake up a day older…�
-James Barrie