To Narnia, With Love

Lucy, Aslan, and Turkish delight, my favorite bedtime story from childhood through today is “The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe.” First being enthralled by a cartoon film of it in school, I was given the entire seven-book Chronicles of Narnia series by a cousin and would read them over and over, never tiring of escaping to that fantastic world of heroism and delicious food, soaking up as much of it as I could before I grew up and couldn’t return like the Pevensies.

For me the series emphasizes the preciousness of time, recognizing as a child that at a certain point a world you know and love comes to an end and we have to face reality. Yet it gave me a solid foundation to build something beautiful out of reality, to imagine without limitation and work on creating my own Narnia in both big and small ways through art, expression, and everyday life. Our wardrobe can be the front door, the bathroom, the workplace, the camera on our phone, or even our own wardrobe, somewhere where we create and share and inspire.

Nothing is more evident in creating our own worlds today than social media where we make our own content and follow others who we find interesting or motivating. Blogs, books, and screenplays continue to be written and movies continue to be made because great storytelling and experiences matter. To quote Prince, “Movies are real! Music is real! It affects people, it’s real.” And even though the mad Titan Thanos famously opined that, “Reality is often disappointing,” our real-life experiences, both good and bad can push us to greatness.

The Chronicles of Narnia changed my life because it inspired me to dream huge and live courageously especially in uncertainty because our time is short, and the books make it clear to adults and children alike.

Perhaps the number one aspect of Chronicles of Narnia I was able to identify with and I think kids today can identify with is that the main characters are kids, and with each book they grow older as the reader grows older, so you essentially grow up with these characters and stories yet the heart of the series remains the same. It greatly inspires a child’s imagination because of its simplicity and delineation of Narnia and reality. However, it also teaches kids that creativity doesn’t have to end at adulthood but in fact should flourish. Whether they end up becoming doctors, lawyers, or teachers, like professor Digory Kirke that fiery spark from childhood will always be there ready to burst in all its creative glory. Narnia teaches children to appreciate time and to face adversity no matter how scary or daunting because everything works out in the end. Good and bad have their seasons but nothing lasts forever, so it’s important to live this life with all its imperfections because it’s the only one we have. Most of all kids get to experience the world of Narnia for themselves, and even if later in life they get lost they can always make their way back to Narnia again.

A classic in children’s literature, The Chronicles of Narnia has left an indelible mark on generations past and will perhaps continue to impact generations to come. It is precise, high-quality storytelling for bedtime, teatime, or Turkish delight time. The series is well-written, thought-provoking, and anchored in reality so we can dream big without losing sight of where we are now. Its meaningful message of time remained with me, and it’s a story I believe children today can be inspired by because creating our own Narnia is now only a TikTok or Snapchat away.

~Fili