One of my favorite movies of all-time is the Wizard of Oz. It's a great parable for starting out on the road of living unconditionally. Dorothy starts out living her life day to day on the farm - more or less concerned just with the things that are affecting her. Like most of us, she's daydreaming about a better life somewhere else, wanting things to happen but not understanding why they aren't.
This doesn't make her a bad person, mind you. It just means that she is wrapped up in her own little world. She's courteous and sweet. But it takes a trip through Oz before she realizes her good life has been sitting right there in front of her all along - waiting to be appreciated.
The same is true for her friends, by the way, as she is hardly alone on this road of discovery. It always struck me funny even as a child that the Wizard never really does anything for the Scarecrow, Tin Man or Lion. He gives them symbols (or totems) of what they were seeking - but aside from that bit of external validation, they each had what they wanted inside all along: the Scarecrow was always smart, the Tin Man always had heart, and the Lion always had courage. (And especially the Lion, because I argue that true courage is not being fearless, but having the resolve to do what you need to do when it is the right thing to do despite the fear.)
Each of her friends discovers their gifts in a moment of selfless love trying to protect Dorothy - and in that moment, they were being truly unconditional. And see how it changes their lives - we know that this is something that will lead them to happiness at the end of the story.
And what about Dorothy?
At first she is happy for the company - but make no mistake, she's wanting to get home. Her best, most well-intentioned invitations to join her to see the Wizard come from not wanting to be alone and from a desire for security.
But when the you-know-what hits the fan and they are trapped in the witches castle about to be tortured, only then does it dawn on her that she has lost her way again. Her selfish desire to get back as fast as possible no matter what, no matter how - though completely understandable - has put all of her new friends at risk.
And even after they are saved, Dorothy still looks outside of herself for the answers: when she redeems the Wizard's offer and return the witches broom it's important to note, she's not given what she thought she was going to get.
There was a man behind the curtain, and there was never a valid bargain.
It finally takes Dorothy being happy for her friends and being selfless for her to get the truth: the power to go home was inside of her all along. And Glinda the Good Witch tells her in that moment she could have told her earlier but Dorothy wouldn't have believed her. Some people have to do it the hard way to get the lesson.
When Dorothy goes back - yes, the world is back to its black and white everyday, humdrum, boring existence. But now Dorothy realizes the gift, and to her now its more precious to her than Oz with all of its wonder and majesty ever were. Her gratitude and simple acceptance of this moment has connected with generations across the world over since the films release decades ago.
This simple film, more than any other, is almost always on the top of the critics best movie lists of all time. Why? The graphics are all right, but nothing compared to what they can do today. The story is rather straightforward and simple.
I believe it's because we as an audience collectively get Dorothy's journey as our own. We want our lives to be exciting and full of meaning. And to that end, we will run away from home, be pushy, be selfish, and totally only caring about what we get out of it in the end.
But it's only when we step out of ourselves and start caring about others that the magic REALLY happens. And witches and wizards might get in our way and slow us down, but in the end it's up to us to have our happy ending. The great news is that it's possible, especially when we take our immediate wants and desires out of it and start caring about more than just ourselves.
And just like Dorothy, we will find that all we had to do was just that - and click our heels three times for good luck.
The next thing you know, you'll be right where you belong.
You'll be home.
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