Down the Rabbit Hole
Adventure – we all live it. We all seek it at some point in our lives. Is it no wonder that
the adventures brought forth in the stories of our youth conjure memories that evoke emotions signifying hope, life, love, adventure, and at times, fear and sadness. The heroes and heroines seemingly showing the way through our own often muddy waters of life.
Alice In Wonderland is an epic tale of adventure and individuation. The often wild escapades of our heroine leading the way through a fantastical world where the art of problem solving, acceptance and, at times, challenging of these bizarre antics redeems our heroine as she grows into her true character. Thus, as in reality, the solutions to these dilemmas potentially aiding the reader through their own experience of absurdity in becoming one’s authentic self.
This, often insane task of individuation, is undergone in several different incarnations throughout our lifespan; from the adjustments through adolescents, leading to the often rewarding challenges of work and family life, into the golden years of retirement. The magnetic draw we, as a society and as individuals, have towards this imaginative tale of youth is undeniable. Part of the magic lies in our shared discovery of our own unique individualism. The story gently reminds us of valuable life lessons while it guides us through the often strange and funny antics of the magical world of Wonderland.
The Wonderland story prompts us to remember not to take ourselves and our circumstances too seriously. As the Cheshire Cat reminds us throughout the tale, circumstances change, and can shift drastically in a short period of time. We, ourselves change as we mature, growing into our authentic self. The Mad Hatter along with Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dum introduce another important concept. That is to be able to laugh at ourselves, and, when appropriate, our circumstances. Laughter, as has been discovered, has remarkable healing effects on our moods, our outlook, and our health.
But all is not fun and games in the nonsensical world of Alice. Mirroring reality, Alice faces peril, as we do throughout our individuation process. For Alice, The Queen of Hearts is the most notable threat shouting “Off with her head!” thus causing Alice to flee in fright. However, like in reality, friends help to ease the way for our heroine. As friends help to ease our own dilemmas as pieces of ourselves “die” to make room for growth in our own personalities and our societal norms.
The world of Alice is an illusionary world. It is precisely this element that informs the reader that all is not always what it seems to be. Though the story takes place in a world that is fantasy, it is not until the end of the story that the reader learns it was only a dream. And, as we navigate through our own growth, there will be challenges that can be solved, laughter to be enjoyed, friends to be found, events to be enjoyed, dangers to be avoided or moved through and adventure to be lived. Life is truly a great adventure! Let’s make it EPIC!
Models: Deanna Marie; Erik Johnson
Food: DeevaCreations - deevacreations.com
Food Styling: Deanna Marie
Makeup for Deanna Marie: Sephora-Pacific City - Huntington Beach, CA
Makeup Artist: Jackie Montelongo