Don’t worry about the world coming to an end today. It is already tomorrow in Australia. – Charles M. Schultz
I know that many people around the world know the infamous Peanuts gang and of course the lead character, Charlie Brown. The Peanuts were an American comic strip created by Charles M. Schulz in the 1950’s. Race for Your Life, Charlie Brown! This is the title of one of many in a film series based off his comics. The film was released in 1977 and still has relevance today. The Peanuts not only have incredible satirical wit and humor, but are just great stories from the heart filled with stories of a young boy and his dog.
Charlie Brown may be good for a laugh, but also for learning life lessons. I have always enjoyed Charlie Brown growing up and loved reading the comic strips on Sunday mornings. Let’s see if we can bring back some of those feelings tonight.
- Choose your battles
In the beginning of the film, Lucy loses her temper and confronts a young girl for sticking her tongue out at her. However, Lucy backs down after deciding it wasn’t worth fighting over. She then respectfully and humbly walks away.
I learned that you need to choose your battles in life. Sometimes you have to be man or woman enough to walk away. Everything is not worth fighting over. Trust me, when it is, you will know.
2. Plan B
Charlie Brown gets left by the bus on the way to Camp Remote in the mountains. His faithful pet dog, Snoopy comes to the rescue and gives him a lift on the back of his motorcycle.
If you want something to get done, then it is best to do it yourself. It is fine to ask and accept help. Just make sure you know and trust the source.
3. Be Brave
As soon as they enter the camp, they meet some bullies. They tease the Peanuts gang. After, insults fly Linus uses his blanket and valiantly pushes the bullies back away from him and the gang by towel snapping them.
Do not be afraid of standing up for yourself or others. Sometimes, you cannot just walk away from a fight or bullies. You may have to stand your ground. You can’t always turn and run away or hide. You have to say no more and stand your ground. When the going gets rough, you do not walk away, you stand your ground and plant your feet.
4. Democracy
Power without the confidence of a nation is nothing. – Catherine the Great
The girls – Peppermint Patty, Lucy, Sally, and Marcie – must decide who will sleep on what bunk at camp. They take the democratic approach and vote on it. It is Marcie’s responsibility to prepare the secret ballot and count the votes. This allows for all parties to have their say without being intimidated or influenced.
I learned that this method can be great for ending disagreements. One person prepares to pass out the voting materials and other counts the votes. I personally use a pro and con list myself when I want to make certain decisions more pragmatically. There is much more you can get done diplomatically than by force. When you have the will and confidence of the people, then you can lead more effectively.
5. Caring
When the girls finally settle in at night they realize there is no one there to tuck them in and wish them sweet dreams. That’s when Snoopy comes and kisses them all good night. This makes the girls feel good.
Sharing is caring. That is how we make friends. Caring makes all the difference in the world.
6.Love and Friendship
Marcie has a hard time participating in the sporting events at camp. In particular, potato sack racing. Instead of leaving her behind and focusing only on herself, Peppermint Patty stops each time and offers words of encouragement.
This shows me that not everything is about winning. Sometimes lending a helping hand is more important. Listening is a great skill to have. You can use it to your advantage in life.
7. Sympathy
The boys and girls both are targets of the bullies at camp. They are ruthless cheaters. They are always chanting “We’re number one,” and rubbing their wins in everyone’s face much to the chagrin of the whole camp.
You definitely get the sense that the campers are pretty distressed by all of this. Even though the bullies are cheating, they still keep fighting on. There is no need to wallow in despair when bad things happen. Keep pressing on. And hope good things for others.
8. Compassion
The boys and girls both get the air taken out of their rafts. The boys worked so hard the first time around blowing air into their floating tubes that you cannot help but have compassion for them when they have to do it all over again. The girls have to get out the air pump and were very displeased, but it did not stop them from competing in the river race.
In life, things are going to happen. You can have compassion for others. And if you can, try and help them out.
9. Put up a good fight
The bullies are constantly cheating throughout the race. This does not stop the Peanuts gang from putting forth their best efforts during the race. Their trials and tribulations only make them work harder and not give up.
If I have to go down, much like Atreyu said in The Neverending Story, I’m going down fighting. Do not give up so easily. What separates the winners from the losers is going on, one more second than your opponent.
10. Fight Back
The boys find a cabin in the woods and settle for the night. Then the girls come along and kick the boys out to sleep outside in the cold. When morning comes they girls expect hot, ready-made breakfast and ask, “Where’s the chow?” Peppermint Patty gets upset when its cold cereal. Charlie Brown snaps back, “If you don’t like, then you don’t have to eat it.” She then backs down, sits, and eats.
It’s okay to challenge people. Especially, those that like to boss people around. Again, choose your battles. Sometimes, they are worth having or speaking up for.
- Do the right thing
At one point in the movies, Snoopy gets separated from his friend Woodstock. What a friend. Instead of going on without him, he stops racing, takes out a pack back and stick and goes looking for him. This part of the film just warms your heart. When the rest of the gang meets up later, after being concerned for one another’s safety; they all rejoice in seeing one another knowing that they all are unharmed.
If something bothers you, then trust your instincts. Act on it. Do not disregard your feelings. If others do, then say something. If they do not accept you for who you are, then let them find and be with someone different. You know who your friends are because they will show they care. Love is a verb and it requires action. A friend in need is a friend indeed.
- Working Together
The bullies once again mess with the Peanut gangs rafts and basically destroy them. So, they all band together by putting on their life jackets, making a chain, and swimming out to get the raft. Charlie Brown misses and then Peppermint Patty goes swimming after it and gets the raft.
Unlike the title of the Buffy the Vampire Slayer season 4 episode entitled, The I in Team; there is no I in Team. You can get much better results and yield higher returns when you work as a group instead of alone. Banding together in hard times could mean the difference between survival and starvation.
13. Don’t give in to surrender
The Peanuts gang could have easily accepted defeat after all they went through. Instead, they paddled on. They saw victory in their sight and went for it full steam ahead.
You cannot just say I can’t take anymore. You have to fight on. The champ is the one that can throw one more punch. In life, it’s not how many times you get knocked down or pushed around. It’s about how many times you get back up.
- Appreciation
The boys take charge in leading the raft when the race is nearly over. On more than one occasion, they expected Charlie Brown to lead or save them. Instead of saying thanks, they generally mocked or criticized him when things went wrong, even when he tried his best.
There is a time and place for criticism. You should criticize softly and praise loudly. At the very least, say thank you.
15. Cheating
The bullies cheat by changing signs, destroying personal property, and playing dirty. In the end, the expensive and fancy speed boat they use with all the gadgets – sonar, radar, the works- instead of paddles or sails like the rest of the racers, sinks.
Cheaters never prosper. These boys got what was coming to them. They did not even handle their boat with care. In the end, the expensive boat sank and was rendered utterly useless. And you know what, most expensive things are.
- Enough is Enough
Deciding the rest of the racers should not finish if they can’t, the bullies try to again sabotage them before making it to the finish line. Even though they are out the race and will lose, it is not enough for them; therefore, everyone else must lose too. However, when Snoopy’s pal Woodstock is crossing their path, instead of letting the bullies cat take him out, Snoopy knocks him in the water and defends his friend. Thereby, this action was effective in ensuring Woodstock’s safe passage to cross the finish line.
You just have to stand up for yourself. You cannot just let people walk all over you. Otherwise, they will do it for the rest of your life.
17. Diplomacy
At one point, the boys end up in trouble. The girls have to decide whether or not to help them. Again, they use the secret ballot method to make a decision to help them out. Even though, helping them was just common sense and the right thing. Resulting in Charlie Brown replying to the girls, “how big of you.”
A recurring theme in the film is about using democracy to solve problems. Everyone gets a say by casting a vote. No hard feelings as you get your say. Your voice and input are counted. So, don’t say nothing because that is a vote that will cost you in the end to having no say in what goes on.
18. No more Mr. Nice Guy
After the race is over, and the bullies are no longer number one, the start spouting off about returning to number one next year. The winner of the race walks by with his trophy. The bullies’ cat gears up to hit the winner and Snoopy roughs him up again.
Sometimes you just can’t take it anymore. You get fed up. Everyone has a threshold. Once you reach, then that’s it. You won’t be anyone’s doormat anymore. If you test people again, they are likely to come back just as strong as or stronger than before.
19. Don’t be a sore loser
The bullies seem to take defeat not too kindly. They lost. Get over it.
If you can be an incredible winner, then also be an incredible loser. Be gracious on the way up, while you are up, and on the way down. You never know who you may run into again on the way back down.
20. You reap the fruits of your labor or whatever you sow.
At the end of the film, the bullies reaped what they sowed. They lost. They were no longer numero uno. They could no longer call themselves, as Nigel Uno did in Codename: Kids Next Door, number one. In the illustrious words of the bullies in the film, “ha-ha.”
You must work for what you want. You can’t just get by on your good looks or live off someone else. The lazy people actually work the hardest. If you do not work in the Fall, there will be no harvest in the Spring. You have to work for your keep. You can’t build lasting wealth if you’re not willing to work.
Basically, I learned a lot from this film years ago as a kid. So, I just want to say, “Thanks Charlie Brown, for racing for your life!”