*SPOILER ALERT – If you’ve never seen The Lion King before (even though it’s 24 years old Lol) and you don’t like spoilers then don’t read this post!!

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I drew this picture after my recent trip to the theatre to see, The Lion King – If you didn’t get a chance, you can read my previous blog: The Lion King – Theatre Experience

I was actually inspired by the song, ‘He lives in you’ – originally sung by Lebo M, a South African composer and singer most known for his outstanding work on the Lion King movies, stage productions and soundtracks. He is also responsible for the opening chant in – ‘The Circle of Life’ at the beginning of the first movie… You know when everyone tries to do the ‘AHHHHH ZABENYAAAAA’! LOL yeah, that chant.

Anyways, I’ve heard the songs and seen the movie plenty of times but I guess things touch you differently when you get older and experience different things in life. I was moved to draw and also write a post on my thoughts around it.

I wasn’t even sure I was going to post this blog because quite frankly i’m drained and don’t feel like my thoughts are even making sense. I expressed this to a very special person and they reminded me of something important, “A picture tells a thousand words”. So I decided, even if I just post my picture with fewer words than I planned to post then that in itself is still powerful.

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REFLECTION

Do you ever think about how far you’ve come in your journey from a particular point in time? It could be in your career journey, spiritual growth, personal growth, healing from a traumatic time or loss of something/someone you love, your long time battle with chronic illness and mental health, the list could go on. You don’t realise the actual depths of your growth until you take the time to REFLECT. It’s kind of amazing when you consciously think back on your journey, the many roads, rocky mountains, trials you’ve been faced with and still managed to get to where you are today, still fighting and letting your presence prosper in this universe. Maybe it hasn’t even been a rocky road for you to deal with entirely, but to see the progress you’ve made puts all your work into perspective and makes you feel like, “Wow, I’ve actually come a long way”.

I’m about to turn my favourite Disney movie into something deep, but let’s be real Disney is actually deeper than most people think… it just seems cute because of animation!

I thought about these lyrics in the song – ‘He lives in you’, which is actually the opening song for the sequel –The Lion King II: Simba’s Pride:

HE LIVES IN YOU

“…Wait, there’s no mountain too great
Hear these words and have faith
Oh, oh, iyo
Have faith

Hela hey mamela, hela hey mamela
Hela hey mamela, hela hey mamela

He lives in you, he lives in me
He watches over everything we see
Into the waters, into the truth
In your reflection, he lives in you”

Everyone who’s seen the movie knows how tragic and heart breaking it is, but also full of fun scenes, songs and lots of humour but let’s just touch on some of Simba’s losses for a moment *grabs a box of kleenex tissue*

Simba went through a lot at such a young age; being influenced by wicked ‘uncle’ Scar, endangering his life and another lion cub, loosing his father in a stampede that he thought was his fault, growing up without his family and being adopted by a warthog and meerkat (no wonder he didn’t grow to his full Lion King potential, they had him on the wrong diet LMAO), and then finally finding out the truth behind his fathers death to whom he ‘thought’ was his uncle (I won’t even elaborate on the ‘uncle’ situation)… honestly, little Simba just doesn’t catch a break in this movie. What I find admirable is that despite all of Simba’s adversities and absolutely life changing situations he still ends up where he’s meant to be, back with his family and eventually ruling as King.

It made me think, isn’t it crazy how so much things can happen in life? Things that were essentially enough to hinder your growth but then you still end up victorious. So that’s why I drew this picture, to show Simba as a lion cub looking at himself astonished with his REFLECTION as now King of his Pride.

I’ve been reflecting on my journey over this last week. I’ve begun drawing a little more again despite chronic pain and fatigue, using art as a way to stimulate my mind despite my failing body.

Have you taken time to REFLECT recently?

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Thanks for stopping by.

Laura,

XOXO