I finished reading Little Women ,by Louisa May Alcott, a couple of days ago and it is a new favorite. I am starting to realize that every classic I read becomes my new favorite book. A classic is a book that is worth reading over and over again. They are so full of truths, morals, and goodness. Little Women is one of those books were you can take anyone in your life and compare them to one of the main characters and you will see that person in a new light, because all the characters are so likable. Kind of like Winnie the Pooh: everyone knows a Rabbit, Owl, Tigger, (etc.) and you can't help but love them all. From now on if I come across a person that is hard to get along with I am going to think of what character from Little Women that they would be and learn to see the good in them. I won't go into the plot-I am sure most of you saw the movie (or have heard of it) when it came out years ago. It was an awesome movie, but it doesn't compare to the book at all.
Whenever I read a classic I am also reminded just how spoiled we are in this day and age. Hard work is in some ways a thing of the past. I also feel a longing to have lived back then (in some aspects-not all). They talk in the book about being children when they are in their mid to late teens. I wish we still considered young people to be children. It seems like in our culture we give up playing so early. Jake is 10 and often mentions he wishes he had a friend that knew how to play-not video games-imagination play. They also spend their life working on their talents and gaining knowledge-and they had to make dinner from scratch every night! They must have been amazing time managers....that is probably why I didn't live back then.
There are so many quotes from it that I love! I love my Kindle for holding my quotes-as you read you just highlight and go to it later with no problem. This book is full of wonderful life lessons and mothering lessons but I narrowed it down to these 7....I know that is a lot but you will love all of them as much as I did I promise:
"It's highly virtuous to say we'll be good, but we can't do it all at once, and it takes a long pull, a strong pull, and a pull all together before some of us even get our feet set in the right way."
"You have had the bitter, now comes the sweet. Do your best and grow as happy as we are in your success."
"Why should I complain, when we both have merely done our duty and will surely be the happier for it in the end? If I don't seem to need help, it is because I have a better friend, even than Father, to comfort and sustain me. My child, the troubles and temptations of your life are beginning and may be many, but you can overcome and outlive them all if you learn to feel the strength and tenderness of your Heavenly Father as you do that or your earthly ones. The more you love and trust Him, the nearer you will feel to Him, and the less you will depend on human power and wisdom. His love and care never tire or change, can never be taken from you, but may become the source of lifelong peace, happiness,and strength. Believe this heartily, and go to God with all your little cares, and hopes, and sins, and sorrows, as freely and confidingly as you come to your mother."
"Into each life some rain must fall, some days must be dark and sad and dreary."
"Have regular hours for work and play, make each day both useful and pleasant, and prove that you understand the worth of time by employing it well. Then youth will be delightful, old age will bring few regrets, and life become a beautiful success, in spite of poverty."
"..but it does seem as if the more one gets the more one wants, doesn't it?"
"Don't you feel that it is pleasanter to help one another, to have daily duties which make leisure sweet when it comes, and to bear and forbear, that home may be comfortable and lovely to us all?"
Oh, I just want to go read it all over again as I type these quotes! I want to be just like Jo, Meg, Beth, Amy, and especially Marmee (their mother, Mrs. March). It almost makes me wish I raised Jake to call me Marmee instead of Mommy! :) Marmee and Anne (of Green Gables) are neck and neck for my all time favorite book characters...I shouldn't think to hard about that or I will start adding more names to the list...READ IT! I know you will love.
