Last night my husband and I had the privilege of seeing the live production of Aladdin. First off, the show is FABULOUS, and I would definitely recommend seeing it. The music is fun, of course, and costuming and choreography are amazing in their own rights. No spoilers, but just two of the musical numbers are so incredible that they alone would be worth the price of a ticket. I say it is a privilege, because it is. And it’s one that I don’t take lightly. Many people have said they couldn’t ever afford season tickets like we have, but I believe we can afford anything, just not everything. We choose to not afford daily Starbucks and frequent eating out so that we can afford to treat ourselves to a few theater dates a year because it is something that my husband and I value and put a high priority on when it comes our finances.
Theaters are often in big cities where theater-goers encounter homeless individuals en route to and from the theater wanting money. Obviously, if one can afford a theater ticket, one could afford to help a poor man out, but if you know me at all, you know I know that’s not the answer to poverty. We both work closely with the homeless population and it’s something I carry in my mind and heart each time I go to the theater, knowing that the people I try to help on a daily basis may never have the same privilege to attend that I have. While I try not to feel ‘guilty’ for this privilege, it is one that I am deeply grateful for (This post may contain affiliate links).
I have to admit that I didn’t really remember the Aladdin movie all that well going into the show; it has, after all, been more than two decades since I watched it. I remembered the basic plot and some of the songs, but the rest was pretty blurry.
There was a plot theme that struck me as I watched that I can’t say I remembered being aware of when I watched the movie as a child. Aladdin feels trapped by his circumstances in poverty. There are implications that his mother has died (he sings a beautifully reflective song about his desire to make his mom ‘proud of her boy’), and there is never any mention of his father. He is well-known around town as a thief and he “lives” on a rooftop with meager belongings and no plumbing. He steals food to eat and expresses to Jasmine that he feels stuck where he is and longs to travel a million miles away to find himself, and perhaps, to find ‘home’ there.
The common bond that he and Jasmine have throughout this initial interaction is her resonance with feeling trapped by circumstances, albeit one that is opposite to Aladdin. When they meet, Jasmine has snuck out of the palace to experience the marketplace for herself, where she runs into Aladdin, and together they escape from the palace guards chasing them for stealing an item of food. While Aladdin looks at the palace and says how beautiful it is and how wonderful it would be to live there, Jasmine dreams of escaping those very walls, being able to make decisions for herself and to marry for love not obligation. Although one is rich and one is poor, both feel trapped in that position.
The Genie, who really steals the show, shares this same sentiment as Aladdin and Jasmine. He is trapped by his circumstances—living within the cramped living quarters of the lamp, at the beck and call of whoever has possession of him. Apparently, he is immortal, since he reflects on granting wishes for over ten thousand years. Early on, Aladdin agrees that if the Genie helps him be a prince so that he can marry Jasmine, then he will use his third wish to give Genie his freedom, at which Genie is overjoyed.
Three main characters, in three different circumstances, all feeling trapped and longing for escape. I think sometimes life can feel this way as well. Maybe it’s a family situation, a job, anxiety, depression, physical appearance, schooling, marriage, another relationship, money—there are many situations that could leave us feeling trapped. To feel like a caged animal or a hamster on a wheel is no way to live. Christ is quoted in John 10:10 as saying that He came to give us life that we would have it abundantly. I don’t think that living in a trap is a recipe for abundant life.
Aladdin and Jasmine sing a beautiful duet about longing to travel a million miles away to find themselves, and, they surmise, that when they find themselves there, they just might find that they are home. It’s an interesting proposition to ponder. In Miranda Lambert’s song, The House that Built Me, she reflects that she’s gone out into the great big world and lost herself, so she wants to go back to her childhood home to remember who she really is.
Whether one feels like circumstances have held him/her back from self-discovery, or whether exploring the world has made one forget who s/he is, knowing one’s self seems vital to inner peace and contentment. It reminds me of Augustine who said, ‘Know thyself, and know thy God.”
I realize that Aladdin is ‘just a children’s story,’ but this theme of being trapped really struck me as I watched. I imagine that many people live feeling trapped by their circumstances for a variety of reasons. It could be a relationship, it could be the 9-5 grind, it could be a geographic location—everyone’s story is different. But I have to wonder, how many people would try to change their circumstances if they thought that it truly was possible to do so? I think that, too often, we get stuck, not so much by our physical circumstances, but by our mindset. If, in our minds, we don’t believe something different is truly possible, then we just endure the reality we find ourselves in. Think about it. What area of your life do you feel trapped? Do you believe that there are things that could be done to change it? If not, then why? If so, then why not?
Do something. Even if it’s small, do something to begin to work toward change. Remember marginal gains theory? If not, look it up, or read my post about why money matters. We typically don’t make drastic changes that alter our reality overnight, but when we make small, steady changes and build better habits, we find that things really can change in the long-run.
If you feel trapped in a certain area of your life, only YOU have the power to change that for you (yes, even if it has to do with another person).
In case you’re needing some ideas for how to get started, maybe the following will get your creative juices flowing:
If you’re feeling trapped by a negative relationship…try praying each day for the person or starting a gratitude journal where you write down something you are grateful for in that person every single day.
If you’re feeling trapped by your physical appearance…try parking further out in the parking lot when you go to the store, walk for five minutes a day and once you’re in the habit, gradually increase your time, set a time limit on late-night snacking, don’t buy unhealthy snacks that will tempt you, identify the weakness and change one small thing to help you be healthier, and celebrate your victories, even if they’re small.
If you’re feeling trapped by your 9-5…either change your mindset about the work itself or think outside the box and find something else to do. The Penny Hoarder is always posting articles about jobs you can do from your home, as well as a myriad of side hustles to earn extra cash. If you want to learn how a friend of mine quit his 9-5 by becoming an online freelance marketer and how he’s teaching others to do the same, click here.
If you’re feeling trapped by your finances (lack there-of)…you can either earn more or spend less, or both. You decide. Start small. Find a side hustle that works for you if you want to earn more. Or, you can find a different job that pays more, but that’s a pretty big step, so if we’re looking at small, achievable steps, probably earning a little cash on the side, even if it’s from online surveys or videos, is a place to start. To spend less, you could decide to start saving 1% of your income and increase it by 1% each month. Make a budget if you don’t have one. I don’t know where you’re at financially, but figure out a small step that you can do, then it can become a habit, and eventually you’ll see real change (pun intended).
If you’re feeling trapped, you don’t have to stay that way.
Be patient, nothing is going to happen overnight.
And just remember, change your mindset, change your life.