85 years ago today, The Wizard of Oz was released nationwide and became one of the most popular films in history. The film is based on the 1900 children’s novel The Wizard of Oz by L. Frank Baum. The story centers on a young Kansas farm girl, Dorothy, who, after being knocked unconscious in a tornado, dreams of following a yellow brick road to the Emerald City with her dog, Toto, to meet the Wizard of Oz. Along the way, she encounters various characters, including the Scarecrow, the Tin Man, the Cowardly Lion, and the Wicked Witch of the West.

The moral of the story is that you should face your fears and not wait for some “wizard” to wave a magic wand and make all your problems disappear. As Glinda, the good witch, says to Dorothy, “You had the power all along, my dear.”

I learned this lesson in other ways, but when I saw the movie as a kid, it was for naught for me. I was too distracted by all those scary flying monkeys and evil trees, the TORNADO wreaking havoc on the house, poor Dorothy so lost and separated from her family, the frisky little munchkins celebrating the dead witch, and far too many vengeful, obnoxious characters floating around.

To each his own!

As far as I know, there are no flying monkeys on the Upper East Side of Texas, but there are plenty of fun and meaningful adventures! Enjoy the stories below and read more in the County Line eMagazine. — PA Geddie

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