If I could go back, I would thank my first teacher. I would thank the VHS tape of The Princess Bride that taught me that true love is worth fighting for. I would thank the reruns of The Twilight Zone that taught me that reality is flexible and paranoia is a genre. I would thank the video game The Legend of Zelda that taught me that persistence solves puzzles.
Disney movies, sitcoms, and even video games like The Legend of Zelda or Final Fantasy introduced complex emotions: loss, jealousy, courage, friendship. Simba losing Mufasa taught grief. SpongeBob’s relentless optimism taught resilience. Popular media gave us a safe space to practice empathy before we faced those feelings in real life. If I could go back, I would thank my first teacher