Swift, Rocky, and Oz: What Stories Teach Us About Being Human

By Drake Hunter | Commentary, RMV NE CO Newsroom, Rocky Mountain Voice

Yesterday morning’s Today show lineup truly felt like it was straight out of a movie, with the charming romance between Travis Kelce and Taylor Swift (Sincerely, CONGRATULATIONS!), a heartfelt nod to Rocky’s classic resilience (my go-to movie), and a stunning reimagining of The Wizard of Oz at The Sphere in Las Vegas (the four characters I highlight when teaching temperament). But then, suddenly, came a jarring headline about shots fired at Annunciation Catholic Church, a place of worship and community (an understanding of “Annunciation” follows this piece). 

The incident, which resulted in [2 deaths & 17 injuries as of this writing], shook us to our core and reminded us of the fragility of life.

From glitz to grief in the span of a single news cycle. That’s our reality.

The simple answer might be to lean towards cynicism, thinking “everything is falling apart,” or to escape into more celebrities and spectacle. But honestly, neither truly reflects how we feel. 

The real challenge is to find a balanced perspective or right-sizing reality: appreciating both the good and the bad without letting either overwhelm us.

Each of these cultural stories released this week offers its own worldview, and they are not just stories, but mirrors reflecting our own lives. 

Celebrity culture (Kelce & Swift) whispers, “You are what you project.” As Taylor herself sings, “Shake it off,” just keep the image pristine. 

Rocky declares: You are what you fight for. The man who shouted “Yo, Adrian!” taught generations that grit is the badge of honor. 

Oz insists: You are what you imagine. Click your heels and believe there’s “no place like home.” These stories, in their own unique ways, teach us about the human experience and how we can navigate life’s complexities.

Please understand each contains truth; however, none tells the whole story.

Back in the early 1990s, when I served in the Air Force at Buchel Air Base in Germany, our munitions unit experienced a heartbreaking loss when my immediate supervisor was involved in a late-night car crash. 

He was a buck sergeant, the kind of NCO who genuinely cared for everyone. Afterwards, the squadron felt unusually quiet and somber. A close friend and peer, who was driving, was later court-martialed for vehicular manslaughter and served over a decade in military prison, reminding us all of the serious consequences of tragedy.

A week later, we gathered in the dayroom to watch Rich’s favorite movies, with Rocky being one of them. We shared laughs and quoted lines, experiencing a mix of grief and joy. It wasn’t denial; it was simply accepting reality. 

The pain wasn’t everything, and neither was the movie. In that moment, we rediscovered what it means to be truly human.

That’s the opportunity in front of us every day. The good does not erase the bad. The bad does not erase the good. Both must be right-sized so that we can get attuned to life. It’s in finding this balance that we can navigate the complexities of our world with confidence and clarity.

The celebrity headlines reveal our hunger for connection. The boxing underdog reminds us that resilience matters. The fantasy of Oz shows our need for imagination, encouraging us to think beyond the present and envision a brighter future. And the tragedy of a church shooting forces us to confront fragility and our need for compassion.

Together, they paint a picture of what it means to be human: connected, resilient, imaginative, vulnerable.

Noise is unavoidable. The question is: which side of reality will we magnify?

Understanding the adage or modern proverb, “Whatever you focus on magnifies,” we can either magnify despair or amplify hope. 

We can pursue distraction or practice gratitude. We can catastrophize or find the proper perspective (right-size); without a doubt, the choice is yours.

That doesn’t mean ignoring suffering. It means refusing to let it define us. It means letting joy, creativity, and love be more than just a headline. It becomes the way we live!

In the end, Dorothy’s discovery in Oz wasn’t about the wizard’s illusion. It was about realizing she already had courage, wisdom, and love.

Maybe that’s the reminder we need, too. When we hold the glitter and the grief together in their right size, we rediscover our humanity. And in that humanity, goodness still speaks.

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Some people may be curious about what the Annunciation is, and our Christian friends at RMV, especially those of the Catholic faith, likely have a good understanding of it. Our hearts go out to everyone affected as we think about the tragic shooting at Annunciation Catholic Church. 

The Annunciation is the biblical moment (Luke 1:26–38) when the angel Gabriel told Mary she would bear Jesus, the Son of God. Catholics celebrate it on March 25 each year as the Feast of the Annunciation. Churches with this name honor Mary’s “yes” to God’s plan—symbolizing hope and new life.

That’s why violence at a place called Annunciation is so jarring. The very name points to God entering human history with grace, not tragedy.

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Drake Hunter is a contributing voice for Rocky Mountain Voice and pastor of Elevating Life Church in Fort Morgan, Colorado. He writes about faith, culture, and leadership, inviting readers to rediscover what it means to be fully human in today’s world through his own faith, over two decades of service in the active military, and the lessons learned from life’s challenges and common sense.

Editor’s note: Opinions expressed in commentary pieces are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the management of the Rocky Mountain Voice, but even so we support the constitutional right of the author to express those opinions.