Protecting Sense of Self

Not too long ago, I took my family to see the Pixar movie Inside Out 2 in the theater. My children sat down according to their developmental age, with my oldest farthest away and my youngest right by my side. I watched as their faces lit up during various scenes, wondering if they were connecting to an emotional epicenter in their brain or perhaps reflecting on their own core memories and beliefs. In all likelihood, they were probably appreciating the incredible graphics or booming surround sound, although-as we all know-children are beautifully complex beings. In this movie, the concept of sense of self is introduced, represented by magical strings (ie, beliefs) that come together to form a glowing, almost celestial, orb. Toward the end of the movie, in an intense and critical scene, many of the emotions are gathered around the orb, or sense of self, trying to rescue the main character (ie, Riley) from herself. It is one of those scenes in which every muscle in your body is flexed and you feel the entire emotional gravity of a situation. I looked over at my 5-year-old daughter, who had her eyes closed tight, her little jaw clenched, and her arms fully extended in front of her, hugging an imaginary sense of self orb. She stayed in this posture long enough for the audience to let out an audible "Awwww," albeit not long enough for me to snap an actual picture. I saw a tear stream down her face as she protected Riley's sense of self with all her might, and may have given her a few extra gummy bears to reward her investment.