Life Begins and Ends with Hope…

Dear Reader:

Finding a ” God Wink” in the mega-movie Barbie ( you might think) is a ” bit of a stretch” but the connection has brought tears and a smiles to surprised movie-goers.

By now there have been so many ” spoiler alert” warning articles on the movie Barbie that hopefully my thoughts won’t spoil anything for future movie goers. For me… it just reiterates how connected everything in life continues to be… including reality and fantasy.

My thought observations today didn’t start with the movie but an interesting article on the Apostle Paul’s writings in ( Romans: 5:3-4) and its application in today’s world.

In this particular scripture, Paul talks about how suffering leads to perseverance – perseverance leads to character and character leads to hope. The road to hope is full of grace, but the road is long and winding- not traveled in a day or even a decade. It can take a lifetime, but we have to start somewhere and that is suffering.

The movie BARBIE starts out, predictably, with scenes of blue skies, sunny days, everyday is beach day and everyone is completely happy… until one ” reality” word slips out of the doll Barbie’s mouth and everything changes.

In her quest to get help and return to her continuously happy doll life, she discovers ( instead) more and more reality ( along with suffering) until it gets to a major decision climax.

Barbie wrestles with the decision to become human in the real world and as her creator ( Mattel Ruth Handler-creator of the Barbie doll-) tells her… she, alone, gets to decide who she is and what she wants to do.

Therein follows one of the most powerful quotes in the movie about the most selfless part of motherhood. Handler tells Barbie, that like her real daughter, Barbara, mothers defer their dreams onto their daughters.

So until tomorrow… the most important gift from our Creator continues to be HOPE but it takes us continuing to keep the FAITH and GRACE in HOPE ( despite suffering) to make our lives and others fulfilling!

Today is my favorite day- Winnie the Pooh

However I know where I have gone-to Mt Pleasant to keep Lachlan and Eloise while Mollie takes Rutledge to Charlotte for a football tournament . I spent last night and will spend tonight-Walsh is working nights. Mollie and Rutledge will be home tomorrow-Saturday afternoon….

Lots of rain but it saves me watering when I get back tomorrow!

About Becky Dingle

I was born a Tarheel but ended up a Sandlapper. My grandparents were cotton farmers in Laurens, South Carolina and it was in my grandmother’s house that my love of storytelling began beside an old Franklin stove. When I graduated from Laurens High School, I attended Erskine College (Due West of what?) and would later get my Masters Degree in Education/Social Studies from Charleston Southern. I am presently an adjunct professor/clinical supervisor at CSU and have also taught at the College of Charleston. For 28 years I taught Social Studies through storytelling. My philosophy matched Rudyard Kipling’s quote: “If history were taught in the form of stories, it would never be forgotten.” Today I still spread this message through workshops and presentations throughout the state. The secret of success in teaching social studies is always in the story. I want to keep learning and being surprised by life…it is the greatest teacher. Like Kermit said, “When you’re green you grow, when you’re ripe you rot.”

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