I wish to be as selflessly kind and good and humble as Melanie Wilkes, but all too often, I'm as hard and calculating and distrusting as Scarlett O'Hara. I wish that I could welcome the world with loving, outstretched arms, standing by those I love in the darkest of times, never complaining and always radiating quiet strength and dignity.
If only I were as simple and good as Darling DeWinter. If only my hopes and dreams were simple. If only my speech and manner were as unaffected as hers. If only I realized that love is enough. Yet, like Rebecca, I sometimes find my heart drifting from love, and into the perils of the snares of the world. The vanities of the world, evil masked as good, they don't satisfy, do they.
Yet I also want to be much more. Oh, to have the sacrificial, pure love of Sydney Carton, the valiant kindness and sweetness of Lucy Pevensie, the heroic love for country of Hector, the courage and determination and studliness of Aragorn, the patience in suffering of Jean Valjean, the keen eye for beauty of Psyche, the life-giving and redeeming and quiet love of Abbie Deal, the kind of love that can give so, so much, and renew the world. I don't have these qualities. Yet. But, like Emma Woodhouse, I'm working on it.
What lovely friends you have! Books are the best :)
ReplyDeleteIndeed, some of the best friends that any man would be blessed to have! Folks in books are just wonderful. (Well, I mean, besides the random Jadis, Sauron, and Javert... :p)
DeleteBeing an Abbie Deal: life-goals done right. Yet I think we each have to be Abbie Deals in our own ways, right?
ReplyDeleteOh, I did so like this. <3 Thank you. God bless, dear!
I KNOW. I love how she didn't think that her life was worth anything, and yet it was worth everything. And that's the greatest thing about it --- we can be Abbie Deals in any state of life, however humble it seems.
DeleteLove you, Grace!!!
This was beautiful!!!
ReplyDeleteThank you so much, Gabrielle! :)
DeleteJane Austen is the best.
ReplyDeleteOh, I know it. :) :)
DeleteHow beautiful, dear. I truly believe that good literature gives us a better knowledge of ourselves, and what it is to be human. It's like Marie Bellet's song: "If only, if only". But in the end we give this to the Lord, knowing that we are too small and weak to achieve goodness of ourselves. And like you say, we work on it.
ReplyDeleteLove you. <3
Oh, indeed!!! :) I love you too, dear. <3
DeleteGah!!! I love this post! My inner book nerd is very pleased by your work! :) And your cardigan = <3
ReplyDeleteAwww, thanks so much, Elizabeth. I know... reading the list of names of those who are so great in the annals of literature just gives you a shiver, you know. :)
DeleteIf I could've muscled my way through at least one of Austen's books, I'd probably know what you're talking about... Just kidding, I get the point. ;) Bless you, dear!
ReplyDeleteThe Starving Inspired
Iris... ahahaha xD. Go read it again. Austen is great. :)
DeleteThis is the most beautiful and lovely and bookish thing ever. <333 We have such amazing heroes and heroines through literature, don't we? And you know how to word things just perfectly.
ReplyDeleteLiterary people... ♥
DeleteThis was beautiful and lovely and you've filled my soul with such a yearning, Peregrin. <3
ReplyDeleteoh, me too, me too. <3 God bless, Sami.
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