On Nostalgia

Nostalgia, n: a wistful desire to return in thought or in fact to a former time in one's life, to one's home or homeland, or to one's family and friends; a sentimental yearning for the happiness of a former place or time: a nostalgia for his college days.

This evening my youth group gathered to watch Toy Story 3 together, which, if you've seen, you know the emotions that it conjures up within the viewer. 

Watching it the second time, I was able to focus more on the details of the plot, and appreciate it more in that aspect. However, two of the people watching had never seen it before, and watching their reactions reminded me of the first time I saw it and the feelings that came with remembering the first two films from my childhood.

And this, I believe, is the reason that Toy Story 3 was the most successful of the trilogy and why it is such a great movie to watch with friends. Nostalgia is so powerful because it causes people to recognize that they share emotions and memories with other people--something that transcends any other bond, religion, race, background, ethnicity, nationality, political alignment, prejudices, and any other way people try to divide themselves. Nostalgia gives people a common cause that doesn't carry hate with it.

Also, regarding blogging every day in April, I am not going to do an extra blog to make up for not doing one on the first. Get over it. :)