Maleficent - "I know who you are."

No one really knows who you are.

Ha! I don't even know who I am . . . how can I know who you are?

But, I know who I want to be . . . and I know who I want you to be. I think that I know what I can be, what I can become. 

Perspective. Presupposition. Preconception. Yes, and maybe even a dose of the good kind of Prejudice (pre-judging). Making up your mind, deciding to think the best about yourself - cutting yourself some slack, giving yourself a chance, allowing for any good possibility. Deciding before the facts, before the evidence . . . sometimes in spite of the evidence . . . or the truth.

Thinking yourself into becoming.

That is what Maleficent had done.  

It was not Stefan who created Maleficent. It was Maleficent.

Sure, Stefan did every terrible thing that was necessary to make the Queen of the Moors Evil - but it was Maleficent herself that gave consent, that permitted herself to become dark, angry, and vengeful.

To become hard and hateful. 

There are many in the world who want to make you, to create you, to form and shape you into something . . . someone . . . else.

But they cannot.  Only you can. Only I can.

If you accept that someone, something, or some event in your life has made you what you are, then that is what you will be. Or . . . you can be what you want to be . . . or the good that others want you to be, or need for you to be.

"I know who you are!"  

(Maleficent interprets accusation, blame, discovery of a blight. The uncovering or revelation of a failure, a flaw, and Evil.)

"Do you?"

"You're my Fairy Godmother!"

"What?"

Ha, ha, ha. Angelina portrays this shock and consternation so perfectly!

Aurora looked at Maleficent and saw what she could be, perhaps what she wanted to be. Aurora saw the Evil Queen as what she chose her to be.

I know, this kind of mistake, this naivete, can be risky, even very dangerous. It places us in harms way with others. But there is a chance, a frightening chance, that we might be able to save someone from who they are . . . who they think they are . . . who others have made them to be.

I want to be saved like that . . . by people who love me. Or by people who don't know me! Ha! Let me start with a clean slate, at least . . . or give me the benefit of your error in judgment, or mine. 

If I can see that I want this from others . . . then, I want to offer it to others.

I know who you are.

You are worth knowing. You have value. Your life has meaning. You are important. You are someone that I can care about, someone that I can love.

You are someone that God has created. You are someone for whom Christ died. And even if you do not believe that or accept that -- I do. And that is the way that I want to treat you. I hope that you will believe and accept that.

I don't know who you think that you are --- you may have that rare view that the psychobabblers today call a good self image. Good for you! Clue me in on that, and let me be a part.

I do not know fully who others think that you are. You may be loved and cherished by many. Good, good, good for you! I would be honored if you would count me in that number.

If you don't like who you are . . . let me give it a try.

If others don't like who they think you are . . . give me the chance to be contrary.

I know who you are. 

Don't be afraid.