Finding Neverland

Today is a typical spring Saturday; rainy and overcast. In my apartment, washing machine and dryer trying to spin as hard as they could to produce a louder symphony than the one from outside rain. Avoiding being filled with all the noise, I am listening to Madeleine Peyroux’s Careless Love for the first time.

Last night, I watched the movie Finding Neverland at home, long after I heard all good review about it. It was undoubtedly one of the best movies ever produced. The emotional struggle and the encounter with four young boys of the Llewelyn Davies family in James M. Barrie’s life inspired him to write one of the most beloved stories, Peter Pan. The creative journey of Barrie bringing the life of Peter Pan that embedded in many adults was skillfully played by Johnny Depp. Credit should also be given to Kate Winslet for her amazing role in the movie, but I am never a big fan of her. Watching this movie immediately reminded me about Michael Jackson, who obsessively enjoy playing with children and allegedly molested children in his Neverland Ranch. This led me to contemplate the idea of Peter Pan, the magical child who wouldn’t grow up. Is that okay not to grow up? I guess Dustin Hoffman’s insight explained it the best in the DVD special features interview; “It is okay to be mature and be an adult. Just don’t be a grown-up.” The thin line between being an adult and being a grown-up is hard to define. I think as long as you keep the kindness, creativeness and pureness from your childhood, you are doing fine (unless you are a natural-born asshole). And, I believe there is a metaphoric Neverland inside everyone and it is just up to us to figure out.