I’ll be honest and say I’ve never read, “Where the Wild Things Are”. 
I may have actually…a long time ago, but I don’t remember it.

I watched it tonight and half way through I whispered to Hannah in a half smile, “…this is weird.” As to which no surprise Hannah responded, “Yeah, I love it!”

It was weird, but I really liked it too…well, eventually.
Once I got past all of the sadness and confusion and anger of everything, it all came together.
Well, at least after I talked about it for a bit.
I was left feeling like I had watched something meaningful, but I didn’t know what.

This was a book that captured the imaginations of my generation seeing as it was published in 1988.
Kids who loved it then are now presented with a piece of art by Spike Jonze, who’s an overall super rad cat.
Unfortunately, I can’t seem to find a way to relate the movie in a way a child could understand, especially seeing how it took me a few minutes to realize how powerful the characters were.
So, this movie was made for us - for the kids who grew up with this story and the parents and teachers who read it to us when we didn’t know how to read.

I enjoy movies that present different characters as metaphors of the main protagonist. 
Of course, it took me a while to recognize this, and when I did, it all hit me.

It’s a story about growing up - and it’s about being angry and misunderstood and frustrated.
It reminds me that sometimes, parents need their kids to mature quicker than they want to.
For financial reasons…for family reasons…it happens.

It reminds me that…sadness always tends to accompany our growing spaces.
We move on…from one season to another and parts of ourselves are angry at that.

Sometimes, Christmas doesn’t feel the same as it did when you were 8 years old - but now, you enjoy the simple kindness of the spirit - well, at least I do. You enjoy the more grown up things - eating breakfast - laughing with family - watching the same TBS special that always comes on…ya know, the usual. 

But I come back to that sadness - because it’s an important tone in this movie and beyond that, it’s not something the wild things hide. Each character represents Max and not all of them are friendly and cute. Some are quiet and some ooze with melancholy. Some are angry and some have the grace and kindness only a mother understands. 

I walked away with something beautiful…but haunting. A story about growing pains and dirt ball fights…and holes in trees.

It captures the sacred beauty of growing - the hurt, the hilarity and sometimes, the overwhelming sadness.
But it all ends with a thankful and loving embrace — that there is a gift in pain, for what it’s worth and that it’s okay…

..it’s okay to howl every now and again…