May 4, 2011
Do you ever have moments when you realize how wonderful life is? Tears well up in your eyes because life is so beautiful in just that moment? Life suddenly blazes forward and you see it for what it is. You see past all the bad stuff and circumstances and you know that life is worth living?
I had one of those moments this morning. I suddenly realized how happy I am. I’d known for a few days that I was starting to really feel settled and comfortable in Te Anau. But today it was like fire welling up in me warming me and comforting me.
I brought one fiction book with me to New Zealand. It’s very small, and pretty short so it tucked in nicely in my bag. It’s my favorite book. I hadn’t picked it up to read it at all since I left home, but I decided it was lame to bring a book half way around the world and not read it!
So a few days ago I picked it up and started reading. Since it’s my favorite book I didn’t start at the beginning and I skipped the parts that break my heart. I wanted to read the good stuff. I think I can be excused since I’ve read the book so many times.
This morning I as I read it I came to a passage that just makes me exult to be alive! It rings so true to my life. That’s why I’ve always loved this book: it’s so full of truth for me. It’s like my life with small varying differences. While it is fiction there is so much truth in it. I think that’s probably a major reason why we all have our favorite books, they ring true in our hearts.
Today I read this: “no one else could ever have this perfect hour. She surrendered herself utterly to the charm of the moment.” And later in the same passage another character says this: “ ‘That’s true,’ said Barney. ‘If you buy your experience it’s your own. So it’s no matter how much you pay for it. Somebody else’s experience can never be yours.’”
That just touches your heart. It may not touch your heart. But that’s okay. You probably have passages in your favorite book that touch your heart and change you. Perhaps today is a good day to pull out that old favorite and remember how great it is to be alive in this “funny old world”.
PS: It’s called The Blue Castle by L.M. Montgomery.
As Jane Austen would say in pride and prejudice, "I'm all astonishment!" Every time I am amazed at something in this world that exceed my expectation, "I am all astonishment." Your tale brings me to that point again!
ReplyDeleteAnnemarie! I love how amazing your trip is. L.M. Montgomery is my favorite author :) Just pulled out The Blue Castle to read this weekend. Promise you'll get an email from me as soon as I finish
ReplyDeleteHey Annemarie. Just enjoying your post. Yes I have had moments just like that, Last time I had one I became a little overwhelmed, the girlfriend I had then became so embarresed. It was rather funny. Your experiences are not mine you are right but I do so love hearing about them. God bless you my friend (which he obviously is doing) and have a super fantasticly great time over there. Lots of love Geoff.
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