Today I went with the children and my wonderful nephew and nieces, plus Aunty Sarah, to see Herbie.

I always loved Herbie as a kid and was glad to see that the old magic was still there in the film; either that or I am still refusing to grow up.

During the movie, one part struck me and worried me. The story is an age old favourite: protective dad refusing to see the gifting in one of his children. Maggie Peyton is obviously a car racer. Everyone in the film knows this apart from Ray Peyton, her dad. In fact, for 75% of the film, Maggie refuses to accept it as she is a product of her fathers blindness.

This worried me. In real life as parents and adults I admit we have an incredibly important task. It’s worrying to think that our fears and lack of faith can actually cause our children to not accept their natural calling, destiny or gifting.

It strikes me that here more than other that a parents fear can be a childs opportunity. Love, in extreme over-protectiveness ceasing to be love but starts to become self-centred control. In one part of the film Ray actually gives his reason for not allowing Maggie to race:

‘…it’s because you are the spitting image of your mother. I can’t afford to lose another’.

Ray’s love had turned into selfish over-protectiveness to relieve his pain, to prevent him from being hurt, to keep him in his comfort zone.

Today, through a children’s movie, I have reminded that love is about letting go and trusting, not about holding tight and ‘protecting’.

Of course in a Walt Disney film, Ray remembers this is good time and is at the track side to support and cheer on Maggie; in real life, with my children, I pray I remember in time too.