Four years
ago I revisited Little Women by Louisa May Alcott. I thought I would find the
charm I had encountered in my pre-teen years. After reading a few pages, however, my
enthusiasm was turned off by the rigid gender stereotypes of the story. On the
other hand, reading Anne of Green Gables by Lucy Maud Montgomery has been
refreshing and liberating... Even though the story was published in 1908, it
retains the essence of freedom and zest for life that the main character, Anne,
shares through her words, behaviors and experiences.
This Canadian classic makes me smile, laugh,
cry and rejoice in the wonders of each unique moment of our everyday existence.
Reading about endearing Anne, a character whose spirit soars with the energy of
creativity and motivation, is a celebration of the magical moments of playing in nature and reveling in the marvel of books. In her eyes, the river smiles, the trees whisper in their dreams, and the flowers sing. The beauty of the sky sends her into an endless reverie.
Anne’s excitement moves mountains, warms
hearts and changes minds throughout the novel.
Anne of Green Gables takes us back to a
time when children played in nature and read books, absorbing the health
benefits of such behaviors, instead of being encaged in the dehumanizing
robotic world of video games.
Anne was an eleven-year-old orphan when she
was adopted by siblings Marilla and Matthew. The siblings had asked for a boy; they were shocked and disappointed when they found Anne instead. I love the surprises
woven into the plot through unexpected turns and secrets.
The exhilarating descriptions of the places bring the characters and places to life, creating a memorable movie in the reader's mind. The edition I borrowed from the library
contains colorful illustrations of the characters and landscapes.
The characters are complex and quirky, and
the author's witty humor makes the novel entertaining and thought-provoking; Lucy Maud Montgomery’s clever
approach uses the prejudices of her time to shake the reader. I look forward to
reading the full series.
Books
like this one are invaluable resources to communicate with your middle-schooler and to share meaningful conversations about various topics, such as friendship, respect, relationships and so much more.
I also enjoyed reading about Lucy Maud Montgomery's life. Here's a website with her biography.
February 24 was the sad anniversary of the
inexcusable, illegal and cruel invasion of Ukraine by Vladimir Putin’s forces. Over the last year thousands
of Ukrainian people have lost their lives and/or their livelihoods as a result of this invasion. Thousands
of people lost their loved ones and homes. Several Ukrainians have become
refugees and are vulnerable to exploitation.
Vladimir Putin has destroyed schools,
hospitals, homes… he has destroyed families. His goal is to force Ukraine to
become part of Russia and to dissolve democracy. His intention is to cause a
genocide and to annihilate the Ukrainian culture. To attain his goal, Vladimir Putin kills his
own people as well.
Vladimir Putin’s regime in Russia is an
authoritarian one where citizens are persecuted, beaten and tortured for the
mere act of expressing their disagreement. You can learn more about this
Orwellian regime by reading a post I wrote here.
Anybody who refers to Putin as “smart” is
as dangerous as Putin. Let’s be clear on this. Only somebody morally
bankrupt can make such a sickening statement. There is nothing smart about his lack of empathy and respect for life.
There is
something terrifying and ominous about people who either choose to look the
other way or to deny the facts.
Human rights violations in Ukraine by
Russian soldiers and forces are well documented by Human Rights Organizations; those who
choose to ignore them, do so at their own peril. Putin was responsible for human
rights violations within his own borders even before the war started. Yet the
world had no problem with their business as usual approach with Russia, so here
we are. We cannot change the past, but we can work to create a better future.
Several
Ukrainian children have been abducted by the Russian army. Where are these children? I want to
follow this closely. These children need to be set free as soon as possible.
My
Writing Life blog continues to stand with Ukraine, and also supports the brave
people who stand up against Putin’s illegal invasion of Ukraine.
References
and sources to learn more about the invasion of Ukraine:
https://www.dw.com/en/ukraine-calls-transfer-of-children-to-russia-genocidal-crime/a-64835163
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-63580372
