You know when you find a movie or TV show that you connect to so much that you think its based on your real life? Maybe you’re a first-year medical student and you strongly relate to the complex storylines of the first season of Grey’s Anatomy. Maybe you feel a connection to The Office characters in your dysfunctional work environment. Maybe it’s a Disney Princess that you always looked up to as a child and try to emulate today (I mean, look at Emma Watson).
Sometimes you even find a show or movie that you never expected to relate to and find yourself within. I recently watched Quest For Camelot for the first time and I was amazed by the way that I could see my own experience in a children’s story.
If you’ve never seen Quest For Camelot, I highly recommend it ASAP. It is the story of a young girl, Kayley, mourning the death of her father, a prominent knight of the Round Table. Wanting to be a knight herself, Kayley, despite the adversities she must face, begins her quest for Excaliber (the lost sword).
She exhibits so much strength, courage, and perseverance in her journey, meeting new friends along the way and learning even more about her own power and bravery. This is something that I think kids who have lost their parents need to hear. So much of loss is exemplified as grief and sadness in children's media, which is rightfully so. Yet, shouldn't we be teaching kids that despite circumstances that are out of their control and the sadness that comes with, that it is all going to be okay? That maybe even when life deals us a hand that we think we cannot handle, we can and will make it through stronger than ever?
Although I won't give away spoilers, the movie doesn't just exemplify the loss of a paren, but also the power of friendship across barriers. While on her journey, Kayley meets friends that are different from her. One of them, Garrett, is a determined young man who is blind. He helps her tremendously along her quest, and meanwhile they develop a loving relationship. They accept each other's differences and learn to work together, which is the essence of a great friendship. They also help their dragon friends get along to accomplish their own goal of flying and breathing fire.
Not only for my own personal connection to the story of Kayley's quest, but for the great moral story of strength, courage, and love it shares, everyone should watch Quest for Camelot.
