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Friday, July 11, 2008

How Cartoons Helped Shape My Life

Whenever I reminisce about my childhood days, I always remember the toys I once had, my playmates, the games we played, bathing in the rain, and of course--my favorite cartoon shows. What kind of child wouldn't love cartoons anyway?

I can still remember way back when I was just a kid, I would always watch my weekday morning cartoons on TV before I go to school (I belonged to the afternoon class in my school). I'm pretty sure that (almost) every kid who was born during the late 1980's to the early 1990's knows Cedie: And munting Prinsipe, Heidi, the twins at St. Claire, Julio at Julia, Bubu Chacha, Doraemon and Mojacko. Well, they're just some of my long lists of favorite cartoon shows when I was a kid (most of them are the tagalized cartoon series in ABS-CBN), but my most favorite of all, probably the one that made the greatest impact in my life, was Princess Sarah (the tv series was based on Frances Hodgson Burnett's novel, A little Princess) . Very typical, huh?


The main character was of course, Sarah Crewe. She's a smart, pretty, kind-hearted and strong willed little girl. Sarah was once a very wealthy kid but she was forced to work as a scullery maid in a boarding school when she was orphaned. Her character inspired me very much because even though she was being maltreated in most of the episodes by the cruel headmistress Miss Minchin, she still has something to smile and be happy about. Watching her as a kid taught me important values in life like courage, selflessness, humility and hopefulness. As a matter of fact, I still look up to her even now. She has this amazing ability to love even if it seems as if everything has been taken away from her. Her famous line that I haven't forgotten yet was:

"Every girl is a princess. Even if they live in dusty old attics,
dress in tattered ra
gs, even if they aren't pretty or smart or rich,
they are still princesses as long as they believe in themselves.."

Another cartoon character that has influenced me when I was a kid was Judy Abbott. She is a thin, clumsy, red-haired teenage orphan who was given the cance to study in the prestigious Lincoln Memorial High School thru a scholarship from Jervis Pendleton or "Daddy Long Legs" as Judy would call him. She is a hard-working student and, just like me, she is an aspiring writer. She actually influenced me to start writing. Little did I know that watching Judy Abott on tv would prepare me for this crazy, mixed-up (but very exciting) stage in life called adolescence. I can relate to her in many ways like my passion in writing, my fascination in boys (and curiosity on why they are the way they are)...and of course, my never ending hunger for adventure. At the end of the story, Judy's "Daddy long legs" turned out to be her 'special friend' Jervis Pendelton. The two of them got married after Judy's high school graduation and that only proves that true love comes in a time you least expected it.


Cartoon Shows have truly been a part of my life. They were my companions while I was growing up. Their stories and characters have molded my little mind and have made a big influence in my life. They may just be simple fictional cartoon characters from TV, but they have been a part of who I am now. They will always remind me of my happy childhood and that I will always be a kid at heart. Princess Sarah and Judy Abbott have made their mark on me and they will always have a very special place in my heart.