“Finding Nemo” is my favorite movie of all time. I’ve loved it since I was a little girl, and every time I watch it, I’m constantly inspired and calmed. There are many motivating messages that are both blatant and hidden in the undertones (no pun intended) of the movie. Therefore, when “Finding Dory” hit the news to be released in 2016, I was beyond ecstatic. I’ve never anticipated any movie more than “Finding Dory.” And it certainly did not disappoint. This movie had just as much magic as its former counterpart. Here are just a few of my favorite life lessons I’ve learned from the movie:
1. Seek out happiness and follow your heart, even if it takes your whole life.
At the beginning of the movie, Dory has a happy and loving life being raised by her parents. Her parents know of her disability and aid her in finding ways to navigate it, such as creating the “Just Keep Swimming” song she later becomes famous for. When she is ripped from her life by the undertow, she is determined to find who she is looking for, though she doesn’t even remember who it is. In fact, Dory spends her whole life looking — and the most beautiful part is, she never even considers giving up. Even when hope runs thin, she still pushes on and on. That determination is something we should all strive for.
2. What would Dory do?
Sometimes we feel like there is no place left for us to turn. This happens to Marlin and Nemo when they are searching for Dory and can’t find a way to get out of the situation they are stuck in. Marlin thinks, after a while, “What would Dory do?” In any situation that arises, Dory somehow sees things in a different perspective. Through this, she is able to figure out problems that once stumped her. She has no plan: she just has the here and now. This encourages me to continue to look for solutions, even if sometimes I feel like I’m in the deepest hole I could possibly be in. There’s always a way.
3. Always be true to others and yourselves. You don’t know how big of an impact you can have on the lives of those around you.
When Dory meets the grumpy octopus, Hank, we learn that he is trying to get away from all the other fish and travel to Cleveland. He just wants to be alone for the rest of his life. After meeting Dory, however, who is kind to Hank and genuine to him as they travel together, his cold heart warms. It is unforgettable when Dory says, “I think I’ll remember you,” to which Hank responds, “You’ll forget me in a heartbeat. I’ll have a hard time forgetting you though.”
4. Enjoy the small things around you. There’s beauty everywhere if you look for it.
The end of the movie is absolutely perfect. Just like in “Finding Nemo,” when Nemo is on the edge of the reef and is taken away, Dory also finds herself on the edge of the reef in a more peacfeul position. Marlin asks, “For once, can we just enjoy the view?” Finally, at the end of the movie, Marlin and Dory swim to the reef and look out at the ocean before them. Marlin says, “It really is quite a view,” to which Dory responds, “Unforgettable.” When we take time to enjoy the things around us, it really makes us appreciate all the wonderful things we have in our life.
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