Childhood Memories and Life Lessons from The Lion King

Yesterday, my sister sang a song that we used to sing repeatedly when we were young. The title is 'The Lion Sleeps Tonight,' and it's from a popular Disney movie, The Lion King.

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The Lion King is my favorite Disney movie, followed by Frozen, Moana, and Aladdin. When I first watched The Lion King as a child, it was the animations, the storyline, and the songs that captured my heart. Like I said earlier, my siblings and I knew almost all the songs in the movie, and we sang them in unison while doing house chores, especially on Saturday mornings. Back then, we all lived together.

But when I watched the remake of the movie two years ago, I felt something different, and watching it again last night made me realize it's the best Disney animated movie I have ever seen. It isn't just the storyline, but how intense the emotional depth is and how the songs not only correspond with the events but also explore life lessons far deeper than I could understand as a child. I realized the movie isn't just a story about a lion cub finding his place in the jungle; it's a reflection of the life journey we all must take.

Through songs like "Circle of Life," "Hakuna Matata," "Be Prepared," and "They Live in You," the movie tries to offer wisdom about growth and resilience. It teaches us about living with courage, embracing change, and finding peace with who we are becoming.

“From the day we arrive on the planet...

There's more to see than can ever be seen
More to do than can ever be done
There's far too much to take in here
More to find than can ever be found.”

One of the greatest lessons of adulthood is perhaps learning to flow with life's changes, the good ones and the painful ones. "Circle of Life" explores this part of human life, where we have to take into account the journey and not just the destination, where we have to accept change and know that there's more to what we can see, do, and find in life. In this movie, Simba, a young cub, allowed himself to grow by finally accepting the challenges of reclaiming his father's throne. This brings us to the next song I loved, "Hakuna Matata."

"It means no worries for the rest of your days."

After losing his father, Simba runs away from everything he once knew: his home, his family, his future. It’s here that Timon and Pumbaa introduce him to Hakuna Matata, a carefree philosophy promising a life without worry and responsibility.
I loved this song because who wouldn't want to leave their problems behind and live a carefree life: a life where we don't worry about the past or the troubles of life? In this movie, Simba tried this life but still couldn't escape destiny.

And so it is with us. As humans, it's important that we face our fears and accept our responsibilities because even though it is easy to numb ourselves with distractions when life hurts, real healing happens when we face what we’ve fled from, when we return to the places of pain and choose to rebuild, grow, and move on from whatever it was.
I can go on sharing my thoughts and emotions about the songs in this single movie because there are so many more lessons to learn from each. Two pieces I would particularly mention are "Shadowland" and "Endless Night," which explore the darkness we encounter in life. These happened to be the most emotional parts of the movie, where I was so involved with the characters that I cried my eyes out (that was a few years ago, though).

So my sister brought back a wave of nostalgia by singing one of our most enjoyed songs back then. That particular one was quite simple, short, and very interesting in terms of the playful rhythm and the cheerful voices. I'm sure many of us have seen this movie and probably enjoyed that scene as well. I'll leave a link to the scene with the song in case you want to check it out.