I find this quote by King William IV in
The Young Victoria is brilliant:
I have been insulted - grossly and continually insulted! She has kept her daughter, my brother’s child, from my Court! But from now I’d have her know that I am King! And I will not be flouted or disobeyed by her or by that jackanapes she keeps about her!
At times I feel that the ways people will go to hurt others and manipulate others (sometimes using them as tools to hurt others) is so terribly uncalled for. Let us all remember to be more sane in the future and do our best to be respectful no matter the circumstances we find ourselves in. There are times when even I find this difficult, but it becomes no less necessary as a consequence. I hope that sometimes the insults that people make aren't intentional or are done against the person's wishes by those who control them. At least then, I can preserve my good opinion of people, even if they refuse to do me justice. I should hate to think ill of anyone, because of another person's fault. And when insults are intentional, I shall in time learn to accept and to ignore, even when they are undeserved.
In the film,
The Young Victoria, Princess Victoria is managed and controlled by her mother and her mother's adviser. Their real goal is to usurp her and use the power that is rightfully Victoria's for their own ends. Instead of allowing her to use her mind and communicate with the outside world, they construct a scheme in defiance of William IV to shelter Victoria. And they prevent her from being capable, or so they hope, from making good, well informed decisions. Thankfully, Victoria is strong-willed and able to see through their deceptions and manipulations, but can you imagine how history would have been different had she not succeeded?
Sometimes I find myself in the shoes of William IV, being extremely upset about things people do to defy both myself and reason. And I'm tempted to launch into flame wars that don't end up mending anything. My hope is to be more like Prince Albert and be the mediator who can bridge misunderstandings and still not fan the flames in the process. What I am trying to learn, is to discern where I may find ways to help others understand me better and when to stop before it's too late, when my words are having the opposite effect. Remarkably, Albert was not only able to help Victoria in her political endeavors; he also helped restore her relationship with her mother, which had been terrible when she was growing up... he was absolutely indispensable to her. This is what I want to be more like, a peace maker, not a fighter battling for an impossible cause. The loss of Albert for Victoria was a terrible blow, not solely because he truly loved her, but he was arguably one of the best things that happened to her, particularly at the beginning of her reign.
Despite the temptation to be depressed and give up in trials, I am deciding to choose not to. That's because this year, I have resolved, will be a good year. I will not allow my life to be derailed by anyone who expects me to fail or by anyone who wishes to burden me with things that I have not done. I will not allow myself to be discouraged by the whims of evil whether spiritual or by human proxy. Every time I feel like giving up, I need to choose to prove the naysayers wrong, rather than to become a self-fulfilling prophecy and putting into actions the thoughts that others incite in me. Daring to be brave and prove oneself has always been a most honored and esteemed quality in those whom history regards with kindness.
As I am not a king, I shall learn to be content with knowing the real truth about everything I do and think. Knowledge is power, the power to free oneself from lies which would hold one down. To build up ones' internal strength is to protect oneself from the onslaught of the world and all that would fight against good. Do not let anyone convince you of what you know is not true, be strong and persevere!
Like Jesus says at the end of John 8:32,
"...the truth will set you free."
Let us remember the message of
The Young Victoria: Do not give up, be stronger than you appear.
, a very interesting and rather tasty drink found oftentimes at Starbucks, but also as it turns out, at Whole Foods. Of course, I didn't like the idea of drinking it straight from the bottle, so I went into my kitchen and got a flute glass. :)
