The World of Narnia

It's coming!  This Christmas.  One of my favorite and beloved adult escapes will be delivered to the silver screen very soon.  Narnia.  A few years ago I discovered the Chronicles of Narnia.  I had always known of these stories but wrote them off thinking the writer had one audience in mind...children.

But I was intrigued.  And wrong.  How very small minded of me.

Bored with the printed offerings lining the shelves at local bookstores, I had reverted to re-reading several favorites such as Marion Zimmer Bradley, Diana Gabaldon and Lilian Jackson Braun.  My favorite genres are fantasy and mystery.  But I wanted to expand into other worlds, and discover something new.  Somehow, the Chronicles of Narnia caught my attention and after reading The Magician's Nephew synopsis, I purchased all seven books.

One word best describes my state of being when C. S. Lewis took me on this adventure.  Enchanted.  Total and complete enchantment.  Following Digory and Polly in the first book reopened my sense of wonder...that childlike essence that captivates every aspect of the mind, balancing real with imagined and aligning pragmatic with discovery.  Something I needed when the stress of my day job overwhelmed my persona.  Narnia helped me see my own world through new eyes, helping me realize a creative approach to problem solving, at work and home.

I once read somewhere that in the early part of last century, two drinking buddies wrote two completely different fantasy stories--one was the Lord of the Rings and the other was Narnia.

And now Disney is bringing Narnia out of the pages and into the theatres.  One of my favorite film companies from my childhood is now connected with one of my favorite adult discoveries.  For some reason, I'm not the least bit concerned with what Disney will do with the story.  When The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe appears in my town, I'm going...back to Narnia.