Cary Elwes quoting “The Princess Bride” and comforting me was more than just an 80s girl’s dream. It also proved just how relatable (and quotable) this movie is.
Let me explain.
“Inconceivable”
Vizzini’s friends knew his often-used word “does not mean what you think it means.” Yet Vizzini believed he knew it all.
As a parent, I also think I know best.
Yet sometimes, I’m wrong.
“I want to sell slime.” My daughter’s announcement left me immediately thinking the worst. Scams. Taxes. SLIME. I said no for months.
Until she introduced me to the slime community and showed me how supportive they were of each other.
When I helped her open her Etsy shop, she transformed from a quiet girl to a slime celebrity.
Watching her design packaging, interact with fans, and give demos in front of hundreds gave her an education no classroom could’ve. I couldn’t believe I’d almost denied her of this because of glue.
I became more adventurous, too. I started writing again and posting it on Medium, risking critique. I scheduled a solo trip to Mexico to join a friend’s yoga retreat, ignoring the stabbing pangs of guilt that ask, “What if something happens while you’re gone?”
In the end, we’ve both had transformations. I was thrilled to have been proven wrong . (And the only one to have spilled a gallon of glittery blue slime on the carpet was me.)
“As You Wish”
No matter what Buttercup asked, Westley acquiesced. While “yes” got him in some tight spots, it always worked out.
I’m far less agreeable.
I’d never planned to leave St. Louis. But saying “Yes” (specifically, “I do”) to my husband took me to Brussels.
I didn’t know anyone. Couldn’t speak French. Everything from trash day to grocery shopping was wildly different.
I ended up thriving.
I planned shopping trips to coincide with the market’s waffle days. I bought a bike with saddlebags to hold baguettes. We visited England and Russia and countless countries in between. Still, I missed home terribly.
And in that pre-iPhone era, communication was anything but easy.
I wanted those at “home” to see what life was like.
So I began blogging. It was easier than emailing, and I could share more stories. Reading that blog now, I’m impressed with my younger self. I was adaptable. Brave. Funny.
I’m still all those things, but in different ways. I’ve started gardening again, 3 years after a copperhead bite while pulling weeds. I’m writing my story for my family, so they won’t have to wonder about what I was like as a little girl. I’m (cautiously) driving my dad’s Porsche more, even though it’s the last place he was alive.
“We’re having an adventure, and most people live and die without being as lucky as we are.”
The movie was all adventure, with a smidge of romance. If you never know what to expect, you’ll never be bored.
My father viewed everything as an adventure — with a soundtrack. Road trips began with “Raiders of the Lost Ark” blaring at 5 a.m. It became the signal that something memorable was beginning. Graduation. My wedding. His funeral.
I’m adventurous in my own (cautious) way, thanks to him. I ditched that psychology degree and studied his 1960s grammar guide for weeks to become a proofreader. Raised two amazing young adults without a detailed instruction manual (no small feat). Started a small business, with a nod to him in the name.
“Let me ‘splain…no, there’s too much. Let me sum up.”
With too many quotes to share and too little word count to use, it’s time to let the credits roll.
I might not have a cult classic story in me the way William Goldman did; still, I can’t wait to write my next adventure.
