“The hills are alive with the sound of music! With songs they have sung for a thousand years. The hills fill my heart with the sound of music. My heart wants to sing every song it hears.”
The Sound of Music was undoubtedly one of my favorite childhood movies. Thinking about it now makes me want to pop it in the DVD player and sing along! We watch Maria, Julie Andrew’s character, grow from a rather flighty, adorable, kid into a responsible, irresistible woman.
I can so easily relate to Maria in the beginning of the movie. Living in a convent and failing to live by the rules (not that I lived in a convent, but sometimes the rules made it feel that way ~smile~). Preferring to frolic and sing on a mountain top than to complete daily chores. And though I’ve never asked him, I am sure Eric can relate to Captain Von Trapp, played by Christopher Plummer. Maria wanted to sing, make clothes out of old drapes, and fall out of canoes. Captain Von Trapp wanted order and structure. How did two such people ever fall for each other? ~smile~
Abhorring Your Opposite
Do you remember the whistle in the movie? When Captain Von Trapp blew his whistle, all seven children scampered to form a straight line by age and size. Wow. This man ran his home like a ship – everything in order at all times – no time for foolishness and no time for fun! Do I make myself clear?!
Enter Fräulein Maria. A happy-go-lucky, but somewhat lawless, young woman who sees no point in following rules that stamp out fun and creativity. I kinda like her. ~smile~ Can you imagine the upset such a woman would be to a meticulously run home?
Needless to say, Captain Von Trapp and Fräulein Maria’s first few meetings were not the most pleasant. She would not conform to his stringent wishes and he would not loosen up and be a “daddy” to his children. On the surface, it would appear that they had little use for each other.
Appreciating Your Opposite
Later, after discovering Fräulein Maria had dressed his high society children in old drapes (which she sewed into seven outfits overnight – a truly impressive feat), taken them on a loud free-for-all through the countryside, and then brought them home soaking wet, he wanted her to pack her belongings and hit the road.
Then he heard it. Beautiful music was coming from his house. He walked in to discover his children singing a gorgeous song Fräulein Maria had taught them. It was then that his anger melted away. He began to feel again. And, instead of sending Maria on her way, he thanked her and asked her to stay. He realized how good she was for his family – even if she was a bit foot loose and fancy free.
Adoring Your Opposite
We free-spirited ones have a way of getting to our detailed, rule-following counterparts. It did not take long for Captain Von Trapp to fall madly in love with Fräulein Maria. She was beautiful. She was innocent. She loved his family and they loved her. She brought music back into his life. When she was around, he was not as sad as he had once been after losing his wife. What he lacked, she had in spades; and, he had the means to take great care of her.
Soon they could not hold back any longer. They knew they were a match. Perhaps an unlikely match to the naked eye, but they had connected through music, something they both loved, and through the children. And even though she was not their natural mother, I doubt she could have loved them any more if she had given birth to them.
Opposites Living Together in Harmony
I love the hope this movie brings. This family had experienced tragedy. Maria was wandering around with no real direction. Then the two met and found what they needed in each other. I suppose deep down, I am a hopeless romantic who suffers from bouts of compulsive realism. ~smile~
Opposites can have wonderful lives together if they respect each other’s differences, utilize each other’s differences, and even learn to adore each other’s differences. I love Maria’s quote towards the end of the movie in regards to her husband. “I can’t ask him to be less than he is.” Wise woman. Wise, wise woman. If we will spend more time learning to appreciate our sweeties’ differences than we do trying to change them, we will all be happier!
Do you appreciate your sweetie’s differences, or do you long to change them? Are they differences you can learn to love, or differences that would cause you unspeakable stress if you were to get married?