Movie Quote Thursday – A Christmas Story
This is one of my favorite movies. Admittedly, I have a lot of favorite movies, but this one is at the top. Ralphie’s youth bears little resemblance to mine, on the surface anyway. But the themes of Jean Shepherd’s stories ring true for me, of being young, of expectation and disappointment, of just trying to keep out of trouble’s way…of longing for something I can’t get for myself. I remember what it felt like when I wanted, wanted, wanted a Baby Alive, and how excited I was when I got her.
And I remember what Christmas mornings used to be like. I remember the wow.
Adult Ralphie: We plunged into the cornucopia, quivering with desire and the ecstasy of unbridled avarice.
That’s something I miss, that excitement, that thrill of Christmas morning. Remember that? Christmas Morning!
More than stuff, more than the Baby Alives and Red Ryders of our lives, what this movie reminds me of is what it was like to be young. The thing is, I will never be young again. But I can feel young! I can be filled with wonder at the new fallen snow. I can enjoy (oh, I can ENJOY!) the time I have with my family. I can even stick my tongue to a light pole every now and then.
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Here is a bonus listen – this one’s for you, Yearstricken:
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Items of Interest:
On The Sixth Day Of Christmas by Christian Emmett (but I highly recommend you start on day one)
Finish your book or people will starve in China by yearstricken
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steadily skipping stones 
This is why I love you! And why China and her people thank you! You know you have to come over to my house so we can chat about when we were young.
When I heard her say that, a little “ping!” sounded in my head (something we apparently have in common – all those voices and noises and occasional wildlife in our heads). I see this movie a few times a year, but that line never made me laugh til now. So thanks for that!
PS: I am in a kind of denial about my youth. At 42, I’m still not as mature as one would hope…but my body feels every bit of those years. And a few of someone else’s.
Like you, I measure my life in favorite movies…and books too 🙂 In all the hurry, I’ve forgotten to even dream. You’ve reminded me to channel that little girl I used to be and see what she might be yearning for.
I think that having this blog has helped me to really look at my life, closer than I ever have before. I was thinking about that just this morning, about how writing about things, telling others really, is keeping things alive in my mind that would otherwise kind of slip through my fingers. And having a forum to share my observations (what few there are) has made me more observant all around.
I like your idea of seeing what the child in me desires. I don’t know the answer to that…except that I guess I really do. It’s simpler than I tend to make it. Life, I mean. And the choices I think I have to make. And what I really want.
Meat loaf, beat loaf, double beat loaf, I HATE meat loaf.
Oh, you made me laugh at the end of a stressful workday! That was nice.
This is another very quotable movie, I just love it. Every time Randy says that, I think, “he’s crazy – meatloaf is awesome!” But I stop short of saying it out loud. Actually, I’m just realizing that this is one of those movies where I’m watching and waiting for the next great moment.