When I was a kid, I wasn't a fan of reality. I hated school, I didn't watch the news until high school, and I only read fiction. My favorite story happened to involve four kids who hid in a wardrobe from their overbearing housekeeper (which I totally understand -- I too wish to hide from scary adults) and literally traded reality for a world where magic was real, animals talked, and little girls could do fantastic things. I can't tell you specific details that drew me to The Chronicles of Narnia, but I remember seeing the first film in theaters and I was instantly captivated by the action, fantasy, and Susan and Lucy's dresses. (I'm a sucker for a good costume.)
My parents didn't hesitate to explain the Christian symbolism to me, and as a young adult, I realize now how strongly I connect Aslan and Jesus, and how wonderfully C.S. Lewis wove light, goodness, and forgiveness into the stories. After I moved across North Carolina, I never really felt like I belonged in my new community. I had friends in theatre and at church but I was still the new girl. I wasn't invited to things, I felt left out, I cried about it. But one night really transformed how I viewed these struggles; I was working on a project and listening to an artist named Bethany Dillon. A song came on, and I wasn't really listening until the line which said, "I've always known this wasn't home." I ended up listening to the song and crying for an hour as I realized that the reason I felt like I didn't belong anywhere was because I don't. None of us do.
Ecclesiastes 3:11 tells us that The Lord has set eternity in our hearts, meaning that earth will never be enough. We were created to spend a perfect existence with God, but because of the Fall, we are left to wander around aimless (which was actually the song's title) until the Holy Spirit turns on the light. Narnia serves as a reminder that I have citizenship elsewhere, and because I have accepted the grace of Jesus, I get to live there for eternity. Each book in The Chronicles of Narnia touches on a different aspect of Christianity, and the final book, The Last Battle, is about going to live in the eternity we were created for. My favorite quote from the book says, "The dream is ended: this is the morning." Knowing Jesus changes your view on everything. It changes your opinion on right and wrong, your purpose, your kindness. There will never be enough stories to teach children about goodness, forgiveness, and courage. And for me, my story was Narnia.
