Frozen

In the CGI Disney cartoon, Frozen, when the troll tells Elsa and her parents that there is great beauty in her gift and also great danger, Elsa and her parents get stuck on the danger part. He (the troll) says, “Fear is [Elsa’s] enemy.” What does that mean? I think Elsa’s parents misinterpreted what he meant, which is made clear at the end of the movie. Because they quickly make fear their friend. They coax it into a relationship, saying yes to the troll’s suggestion that Anna be essentially cut out of Elsa’s life. Elsa’s mom and dad keep her behind closed doors, and at an age when they should be showing her the beauty of love, they give her gloves to hide her magical hands, and tell her to keep it in. “Hide it; don’t feel it.” The troll tells them Elsa must learn to control her power, but he doesn’t tell her how. And the king says Elsa can most certainly learn to control it. But look at the help the king and queen give her! Oh, dear!

So when she runs away to the mountains after her coronation, she’s confused and vulnerable. She’s already missing a glove–one of the things that helps her “keep it in.” And she finally gets it. It’s okay to let it out. Let her power go–and see what she can do. And what she can do is pretty fantastic. Imbed a giant snowflake in the ground and build an ice castle on top if it! Build a staircase with no supports, across a crevasse. Quite the infrastructure!

The song she sings has such a happy lilting chorus, speaking of her inner, glorious power. But then when Anna and Kristoff show up, she resorts to fear again. She chases Anna away, and freezes her heart, without even knowing that she’s done it! It’s not till Anna steps between Elsa and Anna’s ex-fiance’s sword and hears the words, “True love will melt a frozen heart,” that she understands:  it’s love that melts a cold, cold winter. Love is the opposite of fear, in so many ways. Love allows Elsa to let it go and not have to hide it/don’t show it.

What an incredible lesson! I need to hear that, with the help of love, I can let my creative power, my healing power, go! I can build fantastic things, because I can LET. IT. GO!