The opening to Broadway's Lion King was one that immediately teleported me back in time. I had heard the tribal scream opening a thousand times before followed by laughter of little girls as the sun rose on our tv screen years ago. We had purchased the VHS tape the Lion King, and it quickly became a favorite of my girls who were all able to sit on my lap. It also provided some relaxation time for dad if mom happen to be working or out doing some shopping. I did not mind watching the Lion King particularly since I had reached the point of dreaming of ways I could render extinct a certain purple dinosaur who kept saying he loved me.
Our small house in Ozark, Missouri on a quiet cul-de-sac frequently was full of the sounds of an African jungle and the presentation of the young prince of Pride Rock followed by the laughter of three princesses. They would dance to Hakuna Matata, cautiously looked at the screen when Scar was giving Simba the evil eye. To this day instead of having a deer in headlights moment we describe those type of moments as Simba moments realizing the stampede is coming as the cameras close in on Simba's face and a look of horror comes across the screen. This movie has been part of my kids lives as much as Superman was for me as a kid. Simba however was a kid himself, one that they related to, and the life lesson of running from life's troubles or facing them is something that touches every human on the planet. They would dance, giggle, and applaud as Simba assumes his role as King of Pride Rock and the happily ever after coming full circle as Simba's child was presented at the end of the movie.
As the crowds walked in and the mezzanine and balcony began to fill up at Tulsa Performing Arts Center I snapped a shot of those three princesses sitting next to me eagerly waiting for the curtain to rise on the broadway show. No longer in my lap, they were three young women all looking forward to the show starting. For me it was a circle of life moment, you see that night my youngest daughter turned 18 years old and in that moment I related to what Mufasa was saying to Simba when he said there comes a time that you will take your place in the world. My daughters have all three begun a transition from being under our care to learning their place in the world.
I am so proud of each of them and who they are becoming, they each are kind and have hearts for others. The realization that my kids are grown is one that is still taking some time to set in as I write these words. I looked over several times during the play as those three princesses watching eagerly and again it was amazing to see how far we had come together as a family. I am looking forward to embracing what is ahead with my daughters the joys, the sorrows, and the challenges for them because I believe they know who they are and that God has a plan for each of their lives and that He is making sure that plan comes about.
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