Let it go and defy gravity.

I've been thinking a lot about a couple of intensely popular Idina Menzel songs in the last few years. Frozen's "Let it Go" and Wicked's "Defying Gravity". Both songs are really inspirational and exciting and are written to say you can do anything if you just let your true nature out and go for it.

Both songs are about letting go of something and doing what you really feel, regardless of what people think.

"Elphaba, why couldn't you have just stayed calm for once instead of flying off the handle?"  

"Couldn't keep it in, heaven knows I've tried...I don't care what they're going to say. Let  the storm rage on, the cold never bothered me anyway."

Now, if that was the whole lesson, these songs would be just what most people think of them as, inspirational. Because it is important to be true to yourself, it is important to be true to your feelings. These are  really important lessons and I really hope they are ones I can transmit to my current children (my students) and my future children (biological, one day, maybe, we'll see...).

But something has stuck out to me about these two songs, and that something is perhaps even more important than being true to yourself. Now, coming from me that's kind of a big deal because I find it extremely important to be true to yourself. Like, it's one of my things. But perhaps the deeper meaning of these songs is coming to me now as I mature and see the next step in being true to yourself: taming yourself.

In Wicked, Elphaba decides she must go against the grain and be "wicked" in order to achieve her just cause. And once she decides that is what she is going to do, she sings this song and begins to then "defy gravity" both literally and symbolically. She is defying the norms and rules that would normally keep her down. She lets her powers out and uses them for this purpose.

"It's time to try defying gravity. I think I'll try defying gravity, and you can't bring me down!"

In Frozen, Elsa decides (after losing control of a situation) to just let her freezing powers out and stop following the rules that have been put on her by her parents. She "lets go" of the rules and constraints that keep her power from being shown.

"Let it go, let it go, can't hold it back anymore. Let it go, let it go, turn away and slam the door."

Both of these characters have extraordinary powers that are powerful and are unique to them. These powers are special strengths which they have chosen to hide from the world for whatever reason, and keeping them hidden for so long eventually caused them to snap. So they let them go, so that they could defy gravity. So they could finally be themselves.

But the thing about letting something out that has been kept in and hidden for so long is that it can be dangerous and hurt other people.  Elphaba has to turn away from her friend Galinda and other friends and family in order to defy gravity. Elsa has to run away from her sister and the kingdom she is supposed to rule over in order to let it go.

Now, I'm not bashing on these shows, because both shows do highlight the problems this brings. We just forget about it because the songs are catchy.

In Wicked, Elphaba realizes that her choices to defy gravity have actually limited her. Her resources aren't what they used to be because she has turned back from the system that she disagreed with and tried to change it from the outside instead of the inside. Being on the outside had its benefits, but ultimately it didn't allow her to achieve her goal.

"I'm limited, just look at me, I'm limited. And just look at you, you can do all I couldn't do Galinda. So now it's up to you, for both of us. Now it's up to you."

Elphaba is so far gone she has to pass the torch to her friend Galinda. She sees her mistakes is unable to rectify them. While she was true to herself, by letting her true feelings and powers out untamed she unintentionally boxed herself out and hurt those around her.

Thankfully, Elsa makes the realization before it's too late. She is snapped into reality by her sister, the reality being that letting her full self out hurt many people other than her. While she was being true to herself and intensely using the powers given to her, letting out that untamed version ended up terrible. When she accepts that reality, she is able to go back, fix the damages, and responsibly use her power. She is able to eventually be true to herself, be true to her unique powers, but able to use them to the benefit of those around her.

Maybe this being news to me is embarrassing and you've all known this for ages. But as someone with a strong and unique personality, someone who has at times "let it go" so I could be myself because that's what you're supposed to do, it was a a good reminder. Being yourself is important. Being your best self is more important.

Be who you are, but make sure the person you are is a good one. Use your unique powers, your God-given gifts to help and care and lift and bring joy, to educate and inspire and love. If you're not hitting at least one of those perhaps you're letting it go untamed.

Because the thing is, our true selves are imperfect. They aren't always motivated by the best of intentions. They are often scared and selfish and inconsiderate. But they are powerful. Letting them out without restraint will often end up in negative results. However, harnessing that power you have and giving it a little training will lead you to a place of much greater power than you had before. Because you'll have not only your power, but the power of those you helped, lifted, inspired, etc.

So by all means, let it go and defy gravity. But let's be responsible about it alright?