Let me just start by saying "Finding Dory" was well worth the wait. The 13 year wait (that makes me feel really old). I knew it would be good. After all, Ellen DeGeneres is a huge part of it, and it has been, let me repeat, 13 years in the making. However, it was even better than I could have possibly imagined. There are few movies about which I can say the second was as good as the first, but this is definitely one of those movies.
If I'm being completely honest, I still love kids movies, sometimes even more than the movies I'm supposed to like at my age. For one, I can sit back and enjoy a story without all that extra "drama stuff". Furthermore, kids movies don't just have to be for kids. 99 times out of 100, they have important messages that, as adults, we often forget. As I've gotten older, I love going back and re-watching my favorite childhood movies. As an adult, I get even more out of them than I did as a kid.
"Finding Dory" proved no different. In fact, watching "Finding Dory" helped me find me. I've been struggling a lot lately with worrying about my life and my future. Do I have a purpose? Am I doing the right things? Why does nothing seem to be going how I planned? Will I ever get a good job? Am I going to die alone? All the good stuff people my age are prone to feel and worry about.
In the movie, Dory never has a plan. She goes with the flow, does what needs to be done and finds a way to be happy no matter what life throws at her. I don't know about you, but when I grow up, I want to be like Dory. I want to make the best of what I've got and spend my days with the people I love. I want to be able to think of others and give of myself so selflessly. Yes, "Finding Dory" is an animated kid's movie, but the lessons it teaches are for all ages.
During the movie, I was reminded of the best life advice I've ever heard. So, when life has you down, when things aren't going your way, when you feel like throwing in the towel and just giving up, think of Dory.
And just keep swimming.
