Blues Skies Guaranteed

I have been awake since 4 am. I am here, in the beautiful city of New Orleans, for the Dad 2.0 Summit. Literally hundreds of inspirational people, many of whom I am blessed to call my friends, are also here. The experience has been inspirational, humbling, and awe inspiring. Yet, there is one voice that keeps playing in my head – Mama Odie’s.
Yes, Mama Odie, the blind voodoo lady who lives in the boat in the tree in the bayou, from the Disney movie The Princess and the Frog..
Movies are funny. In the span of 90-120 minutes, a story can be told that shows a slice of life that may take decades to live out.
The Princess and the Frog will always hold a special place in my heart because it was the first movie that my daughter saw in a theater. She was THE character that we had to find when we went to Disney months later. And when the DVD came out, it was in heavy rotation.
I loved it for sentimental reasons, but I also appreciated the message in the story. The protagonist, Tiana, finds herself on a lifelong quest to earn enough money to open the restaurant she dreamed of with her late father. His message of achieving dreams through “hard work” stay with her and she tries to honor them to a fault.
Eventually, she learns honoring his legacy, and her own, meant not focusing on what she wanted, but realizing that she had what she needed. Her father worked hard and was never wealthy, but he was surrounded by family and love.
He had what he needed. Tiana, also had what she needed, but didn’t realize it.
To help her realize this, the love able and enigmatic Mama Odie sings a song, which my daughter loved for different reasons, called “Dig a Little Deeper”.
The chorus has always smacked me in the face and stuck with me:
You gotta dig a little deeper!
Find out who you are!
You gotta dig a little deeper!
It really ain’t that far!
When you find out who you are, you find out what you need.
Blue skies and sun shine;
Guaranteed!
You gotta dig!
Dig!
You gotta dig!
Dig!
Ironically, coincidentally, the setting of The Princess and the Frog is New Orleans. I am literally, or I guess this would be more metaphorically since she is an animated character, walking in the footsteps of Tiana. So this morning I found it fitting to download Mama Odie’s song and play it as I watch the sun rise.
And that’s why I’m awake. I’m digging.
I don’t know exactly what it is that I need, but I know I will find it. Blue skis guaranteed.
-Creed

Welcome to Balcony Dads. Jason and I look forward to bringing you great content. Reviews, observations, and reflections from the balcony and beyond.