I'm so glad I live in a world where there are Octobers
Anne of Green Gables and lessons on living life to the fullest
By George Fort Gibbs (1870–1942) (Note: M. A. & W. A. J. Claus did not illustrate the cover) - https://books0977.tumblr.com/post/31686270543/anne-of-green-gables-lucy-maud-montgomery, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=8882426
‘I'm so glad I live in a world where there are Octobers,’ said little Anne Shirley prancing around with her arms full of boughs and dreaming of the onset of autumn. I reside in Mumbai and this gorgeous weather that they call ‘fall’ only lives in my imagination. I only look at Octobers and dread the humidity that usually follows. However, ‘Anne of Green Gables’ by Lucy Maud Montgomery changed the way I look at life and has taught me to live each day with new vigour and zest.
Anne of Green Gables follows Anne, a cheerful and optimistic orphan girl who is adopted by a middle-aged brother and sister in their fifties and sixties. Initially intending on adopting a boy, siblings Marilla and Matthew Cuthbert settle on Anne and raise her in the picturesque town of Avonlea in Prince Edward Island, Canada.
Anne came from a place which deprived her of having a normal life and childhood. Though not explicitly mentioned in the book, Anne is believed to have undergone traumatic experiences of physical abuse and torture in the hands of foster homes and orphanages. But after the adoption, we see her beginning to heal from her past wounds. Though Anne of Green Gables is a children’s classic, the book imparts wisdom for children and adults alike.
Embrace your inner child
Anne was forced to grow up early due to her early childhood experiences of grief and trauma. She was robbed of having a carefree and healthy childhood. But, as soon as she moves to Avonlea and lives with her adoptive family, she blossoms and begins to have a childlike view of life.
Most of us forget that we have nothing promised in this life. No future awaits us. We must live in the present, embracing whatever life throws at us. A childlike approach means a more simplified way of looking at the world. This does not mean that we reject our responsibilities and live as children but rather view the world as a child would, with no malice or hatred.
‘‘That's the worst of growing up, and I'm beginning to realize it. The things you wanted so much when you were a child don't seem half so wonderful to you when you get them.’’
Nature is your friend
Anne is so bedazzled by nature and all that it has to offer. She immerses herself in her beautiful countryside and takes immense joy in it. I live in a concrete jungle and I find it very difficult to relate to this. But ever so often I take long walks in my local park and bury myself in the moment. The light breeze, the rustling of the leaves and the chirping of the birds give me a sense of hope. When all goes wrong, nature is the safest place to confide in.
“Look at that sea, girls–all silver and shadow and vision of things not seen. We couldn’t enjoy its loveliness any more if we had millions of dollars and ropes of diamonds.”
The Power of Positive Thinking
Anne was no stranger to pain. She experienced it in the nascent periods of her life. However, her positivity and optimism came from a place of surrender and hope. She looked at the world through rose-tinted glasses and believed that life was worth living even though it was painful.
For the longest time, I detested people who told me to be positive. I believed that they weren’t realists. I thought they used their positivity as a defence mechanism against the cruelty that there was in this world. However true positivity doesn’t mean refusing to acknowledge the pain. True positivity means learning to embrace the bad with the good and holding on to the hope that there is.
‘‘Don't be very frightened, Marilla. I was walking the ridge-pole and I fell off. I suspect I have sprained my ankle. But, Marilla, I might have broken my neck. Let us look on the bright side of things.’’
Be unconventional
Anne was unconventional. She accepted the fact that she came from an unconventional family. She was adopted by a middle-aged brother and sister who were like her parents. She learnt to embrace the uniqueness of this arrangement.
A lot of us live life out of habit but rarely question the way we do things. We go through life in a rhythm. But, whenever we are asked to create our own way of doing something, we shy away. We are afraid of judgement and ridicule. Like Anne, let’s learn to be fearless and stir our boat in the direction we choose, irrespective of whether we will be accepted or not.
‘‘Why must people kneel down to pray? If I really wanted to pray I’ll tell you what I'd do. I'd go out into a great big field all alone or in the deep, deep woods and I'd look up into the sky—up—up—up—into that lovely blue sky that looks as if there was no end to its blueness. And then I'd just feel a prayer.’’
Cultivate lasting friendships
Anne grew up friendless and was overjoyed to finally have a friend when she moved to Avonlea. She believed that true friendships encourage us to be better people. We learn and grow through friendships and each friend carves a special place in our heart.
I am blessed to have amazing friends with whom I can learn and grow. Yes, friendships can also bring back bitter memories of pain and loss but true friendships last a lifetime and should never be tampered with.
“Kindred spirits are not so scarce as I used to think. It's splendid to find out there are so many of them in the world.”
Lastly, let us welcome October with a new view on life. Life is sweet and bitter. It changes us and it changes with us. We carry both laughter and pain, joy and sorrow, beginnings and ends, but life is worth living after all.
True joy is not a borrowed idea but a cultivated habit. We are bound to feel it when we choose it. We are bound to choose it when we believe that it exists. Joy doesn’t make the world happier, but it makes the world kinder and that’s the best part. Today like Anne, let’s live by joy and watch as the world changes around us.