Heart Connection and the Films : Phantom and Beast

   People often wonder why I enjoy Phantom of the Opera and Beauty and the Beast so much. If you are child, it is difficult to understand what both of these stories truly mean. There are so many themes going on in these films, one could argue they are not the same. They share one key thing in common with two characters however. Both men do not know how to love. Their hearts are worn and battered from a harsh past. The opera Phantom is a brilliant, sadly disfigured, obsessive, monster inside and the Beast is a flawed, torn, selfish, bitter, man. Their personalities operate on fear, the fear they hope will give them what they want most: love. 

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   Luckily for the Beast he was able to let go. His heart had turned to stone, because he had a curse placed on him for his rude behavior towards a beggar woman. He learned the hard way, but Belle found the man within. She had to see through his stubborn, and harsh anger, and become to love him, truly love him. Thus, he learned to love another by allowing Belle to return to her father, and he learns to love himself in return. It hurts to see her go, but she comes back, and if you aren't crying, well then you are not a sap like me lol! 

 In stark contrast, the Phantom did not find a similar fate. He was overtaken with jealousy and hatred toward Christine's lover Raoul. His childhood was painful and it had you wondering how and why did he turn into this monster, who hid his genius from the world. He tried to snare his desires on Christine and capture her by using his genius wit and incredible singing prowess. It was a disaster, but he learned at the very end, her fear showed him she is not his prisoner, she refused to be; he is the prisoner here who you see sets her free! The greatest love he granted was her freedom. 

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    My heart feels for these men, and how it affects them so much. I notice a difference watching both of these as an adult rather than a teenager before. Although, I have not felt that inner torment for a long time, I realize that the healing from both movies, was my own tendency to attach it to memories of my own past. I taught some men in my life how to love and also the ability to step away from the darkness in their lives. I would say it has taken me years to write about this, but now it feels perfectly acceptable and beautiful to express today. 

Then, I was loving too much and so hard to fix their demons inside, and I wanted to believe that my love would fix all that. (Laughing) It is really crazy now to look back and realize I needed to love me, and leave immediately. At the time, for each, I learned they had to want to change themselves, but not a lot of women or men can stick around for a drastic growth change, nor is it their responsibility. It isn't something we are bound to stay for. My prayer is to them now, today, that their demons are gone, and that the beauty is found in life wherever they go! I feel happy these days with Mia and my new job and I don't need to reach out to them. Somehow I have a peace there inside my heart that I never had before. I love it. 

When I watch these movies now, my heart forgives the Beast for his bitterness and the Phantom for striking fear and I get to see that somehow they will be alright. It is so wonderful to believe in my mind their stories aren't over, that who knows, maybe they did get to make things better, or so I would like to believe lol. Brothers Grimm story or actual Phantom novel, I will ignore, to focus on their happy endings with the childlike heart of who I was when I first saw them; the one who believes they will be loved one day. What are your heart connecting films? How do they reach you?