This post was originally posted on Blogger October 20, 2024.
This post was originally posted on Blogger September 19, 2024.
Cars is one of my all-time most-liked Disney Pixar movies I watched with the kids when they were young. It was a favourite of theirs and we watched it a lot. Sometimes more than once in a day. Unfortunately I had my accidents when the kids were toddlers and that meant that we watched TV more than we would have had I not had the accidents.
For a time we lived and breathed Cars. Rhys’ room was Cars’ theme, including a bed skirt and curtains I sewed and a quilt my mother-in-law lovingly made. His walls were painted grey with horizontal yellow road lines and I placed wall decals of the Cars characters “racing” across his wall. We also collected the die cast cars from the movie, and would play with them on a city scape play mat. I even got out my glue gun and made a multi level parking garage out of recycled cardboard and racing ramps to race the cars down the hallway. We had a lot of fun with this movie and I have such fond memories of watching and playing pretend Cars with the kids.
Last year when I was really struggling I needed to find things that brought me comfort. Things I could do that didn’t require a lot of thinking. I needed activities that were calming and comforting and that got me out of my head. One of the things I found myself doing was watching some of the older Disney Pixar movies that were popular when my kids were little. The bright and cheerful colours, kind messages and fun storylines were something I could watch that gave me a bit of an escape from the pain and distress I was feeling. There were no complicated plots to follow, or things that could trigger me and I enjoyed choosing which movie to watch.
Yesterday I found myself needing a little of that comfort, and thought a kids’ movie might help, so I turned on Disney Plus and after a short time browsing, picked Cars, even though I’ve probably seen it over 100 times. I enjoyed the trip down memory lane and the movie’s positive messages on sportsmanship, teamwork and friendship left me feeling cheerful and in a lighter mood.
Cars came out in 2006, before my accidents, and something interesting I noticed this time around watching the movie, is that I saw it and related to it through a different set of eyes. I’m not the same person I was 18 years ago, and even after my accidents, I’m not the same person that I was earlier in my chronic pain journey. Because of my experiences, and years long struggle with chronic pain and mental health issues, I noticed different themes in the movie that I don’t remember noticing years ago.
Cars is the story of a talented rookie race car named Lightning McQueen who is so focused on winning races and being the best, that he lacks the humility and empathy needed to be a friend. He’s self absorbed and so into himself he thinks he can do it all on his own. That he doesn’t need anybody.
Lightning’s racing career is threatened when he accidentally ends up in Radiator Springs, a small town off Route 66, that used to be a popular destination back in the day. Lightning is trying to find his way to the racetrack for the Piston Cup, and in the process he damages property in Radiator Springs. He is arrested and forced to repair the damages before he can leave.
In repairing the damage, Lightning learns valuable lessons he wasn’t expecting. For the first time in his life he experiences what it means to have true friends and be a part of a community. As he fixes up the town and gets to know its residents, he learns how to be a friend. He also learns that winning isn’t everything and that there are still things about racing that he can learn, he doesn’t know it all. That there is more to life than coming in first place.
Lightning’s story is a tale of self-discovery, community, and the importance of taking life’s curves with a sense of humor. Through Lightning’s transformation, we see the power of that humility and empathy in shaping our relationships and finding true fulfillment in our lives.
Watching so many years later, it was like seeing an old and familiar friend, only you’ve both grown personally, and learned many of life’s lessons, so see each other through those eyes. Your perception is through those lenses, and you notice and learn different things on a deeper level because of that.
As the characters of Radiator Springs were introduced, and I got to know them, I realized I was seeing the movie through a different set of eyes. I was watching through the eyes that have lived a life of physical and mental pain and because of that I see things differently and on a more personal level. Radiator Springs is a perfect caricature of a small, run down, western American town, with it’s eccentric characters amidst the beautiful landscape.
One of my favourite characters in Cars is Mater, the lovable tow truck with an eccentric down to earth charm and unique taste in automotive decor. He wears his rust and dents well. Throughout the movie Mater reminds us that it’s not what you look like that matters, it’s what’s in your heart. It’s how you treat others and making memories with the people we embrace into our lives that make life meaningful.
Mater also teaches us about the meaning of friendship with his unwavering loyalty and kindness to the townsfolk and Lightning. His quirky antics are also a humorous but valuable reminder of the importance of celebrating and embracing our quirks and treasuring the connections we share with others. This is one of the most valuable lessons I have learned in life. I’m kind of a square peg trying to fit in a round hole and I’ve learned to celebrate that. It’s what helps inspire me as an artist and now writer. I have many quirks, many of them OCD driven, and instead of putting myself down for being a little quirky, I embrace it and use it to my advantage.
One of the things I’ve learned since my accidents in 2008 and 2009, is that having personal relationships that mean something with the people that matter to me is very important. I don’t work outside the home, and due to my physical and mental health I don’t get out much, so my family and close friends mean a lot to me, and I have forged close and meaningful relationships with all of them. In having them as part of my support system, it means that I have people I can turn to in my lowest of lows, and they will be there for me. The mutual and unconditional loyalty, compassion and kindness we show each other, and really listening to what the other person has to say, without judgment, has been life saving. I honestly do not know if I would still be here today if it weren’t for my family and friends. Complex Regional Pain Syndrome (CRPS) is also known as the “Suicide Disease”, and I can see how someone could end up in that mental place without some sort of emotional support and encouragement. It’s hard even with the support of loved ones.
What I noticed this time watching Cars, is that it touches on deeper meaning themes, like heritage, identity and the importance of embracing diversity. The interactions with the often colourful residents of Radiator Springs remind us that the richness in life comes from celebrating and embracing our differences and quirks and forging genuine and honest connections with others.
Doc Hudson is a good example, with his past as a legendary and gifted racer, providing us with valuable lessons about the importance of honoring our history while also embracing change and progress. In a world that often values conformity over individuality, Cars challenges us to embrace our unique identities and appreciate the beauty of our collective landscape. Some of my best friendships came out of being in the right place at the right time. My bestie, Allison, and I met because she needed help with her new iPhone, and my husband said I’d had one for quite some time and offered for me to help. We instantly connected and here we are almost 15 years later. Another friendship I value immensely is with someone I used to work with in the 1990’s. Both our lives took us here, and my first day at the school here we bumped into each other, and our friendship began.
Today’s world is obsessed with speed and success and everything needing to be done instantaneously. It seems like as technology advances, we get less patient and more stimulation. We can send info instantaneously, so why shouldn’t we also get a response instantaneously? In that mindset we often forget to slow down, be present and mindful in life situations, and appreciate the journey we are on.
Lightning learns this from Sally, a Porche who used to be a fast paced lawyer. Much like Sally, I too needed to find somewhere away from the city that meant I could live my life at a slower pace and without being bombarded by constant stimulation. Sally learns from the other colourful cars in Radiator Springs that there is value in slowing down and just taking a drive once in a while. One of the things I really can relate to is the value I have experienced in taking the scenic route and living slower paced life, in a quieter and more relaxing setting. I moved here full time with the kids in the summer of 2017, and it took some time adjusting to the slower pace, often referred to as “Island Time”, but eventually I adjusted, and now am a full-on islander.
I can also relate a lot to the character Doc Hudson, who due to an accident, was unable to “work” again as a race car. Like me, he too lost everything he’d worked for in a matter of seconds, and that kind of trauma and loss takes a while to process and move on from. It is something that is very hard to accept. We see Doc begin to heal when he comes around and becomes Lightning’s crew chief for the Piston Cup. Much like Doc, it took me a long time to process the losses I felt after my accidents, and still feel, and it was finding my passion for arts and crafts again that helped me cope and begin to heal.
One of my favourite things about Cars is watching Lightning make this total personal transformation over the course of the movie. You see his transformation come full circle in the Piston Cup, when Lightning is leading the race with 1 lap to go, and Strip “The King” Weathers crashes and is unable to finish the race on his own. Instead of winning the Piston Cup, Lightning goes over to The King and pushes him over the finish line, so that Strip could finish his last race. A true act of sportsmanship and where we see how much Lightning has grown in his short time in Radiator Springs. A true winner!
"Cars" has been a cherished part of my life, offering comfort, nostalgia, and valuable lessons. As I've grown and faced challenges, my perspective on the film has evolved, revealing deeper themes that resonate with my experiences. Through Lightning's journey, I've learned the importance of humility, empathy, and building meaningful connections. The characters of Radiator Springs have taught me valuable lessons about friendship, diversity, and finding purpose in life. As I continue to navigate my own journey, "Cars" remains a constant reminder of the power of resilience, the value of human connection, and the beauty of embracing life's twists and turns.