There is an old adage that states: “truth is stranger than fiction.” So what does this tell us about this movie? Do people narrate other people’s lives? No! This isn’t the point at all, rather that when faced with the truth of our own actions we are often open to a life changing experience.

Harold Crick is the most boring character imaginable to start this movie. Yet who else would be better for the exciting contrast of a movie character than Harold the IRS auditor. Numbers are Harold’s life blood. He may not enjoy or even like his job, however he is content. Or at least he thought he was.

Enter the depressive author Karen Eiffel. Karen begins to narrate Harold’s life. This distresses Harold immensely, not that someone is with him, but rather he hears her voice telling him what he is thinking and doing and hinting about knowing more of what will happen. What more this voice of Karen in Harold’s head speaks of his “immanent death.” Two words guaranteed to get the attention of any sane person.

Thus begins the mad cap adventure of Harold seeking out the author of his life and finding a life he didn’t dream possible along the way. Now this is not a direct analogy of God and us. He is not looking for a way to make us die or trip or stumble in any way, however if we let Him we can be led to what we always wanted and better what we were made for.

It took Harold a long time to come to terms with what is happening to him, but not many of us realize the greater story that we are in. No one would want bad things to happen to anyone. We may even wish to rebel and thumb our nose at authority at times, however sometimes the right things, the things that really matter are things that happen every day. Small things or things we don’t think about. Who we spend time with or what we spend our time on. Thinking about others and remembering them not just in memory but in initiative.

There is an appropriate saying among Christians: “God doesn’t call the equipped, He equips those He calls.” However this doesn’t mean a free ticket, this means that He will be there when we need Him after we start to work. And yet how much time do we set aside to do what is right? We run ourselves ragged on a tight schedule all the time, but if we were forcibly set back would we have a chance be a hero to someone? Would we get up and move when others hesitate. That is all it takes to be a hero really, is being in the right place at the right time and doing your best to do the right thing. Doing this we will have a life worth living.

Looking at films one of my favorite part happens to be the title credits. …No Really! You see unlike a book cover the title credits for a movie will give you some hint about how the movie is going to be and even what it will be about. “MIB” opens connecting the dots of stars leading into a very cheesy sci-fi spoof. “Batman Begins” with bats storming the screen. “Bridge to Terabithia” opens with a pencil on paper. That is how it all begins… on paper.

Terabithia doesn’t exist in the beginning of the movie, however the imagination and creativity that it is made of does. Meet Jesse, a middle school boy struggling to find his place amongst numerous siblings and bullies at school. Jesse is a good student a great racer and a better artist. He was all set on nailing down his world when a new student named Leslie appeared on the screen.

Leslie got the new student treatment, but seemed to take it all in stride. Still Jesse let her be… at least until the big race. Jesse had been training for a long time for this race. It was his chance to show up the bullies of his grade. When all of a sudden Leslie shows up at the starting line. The bullies object but Jesse likes her style and defends her still confident of his skill. Until she beats him in the race.

Jesse soundly bested at the end of the school day, hoped only to ride home with his little sister and grump at home when he turns and see Leslie hoping off the bus at his stop! Turns out she isn’t only the new kid at school she is also his new next door neighbor.

Thus begins a great friendship between these two kids as they explore the forest near their respective houses. They name their kingdom Terabithia and begin great adventures there. Leslie doesn’t draw like Jesse, but she can tell a story like no one Jesse had heard. Together they weave villains and heroes, monsters and critters embellishing everything around them.

Leslie helps open Jesse up to his own imagination. She continually finds fascination in what Jesse might have originally thought was ordinary. Even when she goes to church with Jesse and his family.

Now I need to stop right here in the story before I give it all away. But I wanted to get at least this far in the story because not many current stories especially movies show churches anymore, at least not in a positive light. This said “Bridge to Terabithia” shows a strange initial take on the church. Jesse’s little sister May Belle says to Leslie that if she doesn’t believe in the Bible that she is going to hell. Leslie asks Jesse if he believes that and in return he isn’t really sure. On the one hand that is what he feels like he has been told on the other he doesn’t want to say anything against Leslie on way or another. Leslie laughs at this though. She replies that Jesse and May Belle and folk are forced to go to church and believe the bible and they “hate it” while she isn’t forced to do either and she “loves it.”

There are really three things to take from this particular movie:

* Imagination - From the start of this movie to the end creativity abounds. We follow the story through pictures and paintings, sketches and images to speech and singing, instruments and colorful noise and arrive back in the stories read aloud or written. All the arts are represented in some way or other except for maybe dance, but with a little creative interpretation you might see some dance too. Now as for something to take from this we are made from the same creator who made everything. Think about that! The Creator of matter made us and tells us we matter! We are made in His image and so we tend to make things as He might create. We are divinely powered by not ’star stuff’ but by the stuff that made the stars!

* What is real - Terabithia is an imaginary kingdom. There is no question that is has no bearing on the reality that Jesse and Leslie faced each day. However the adventures they had and the lessons they learned stayed with them. Together they found courage and strength from not just their fantasy but the reality of each other. As human beings we need each other. Friends, Family, even Teachers are musts for us to get through each day. The worst feeling is being alone. The best realization is that we can never be truly alone with Christ in us.

* Perseverance - When in the midst of an adventure in their kingdom Leslie and Jesse fight to preserve their fort and face a menacing force. Leslie shouts at the forest that they are the ‘King and Queen of Terabithia and they can never be crushed!’ A bold statement to be sure, but also true. As a Christian we hold to the power of Christ resurrected for us as well as everyone. We have the promise that we may be struck, beaten and bruised, however we will never be finished or destroyed. With Christ in us we can always get up for we are “never crushed.”