A Book

I finished the book "Good Wives" tonight.  Oh my goodness, it was fantastic!  I have this great love for Louisa May Alcott and her writing.  Reading this piece of literature, which reflects herself and her family, I believe, was very enlightening.  I have not read it in such a long time.  I have not read Little Women in so long either.  There were lines and paragraphs scattered throughout that show, I think, the battle between what she was taught (her tutors where the famous existentialists we study in school) and Christian beliefs.

There is one section in the chapter "A Friend" that reveals Jo's lack of knowledge in the area of Philosophy.  She is enjoying hearing the arguments going back and forth and then realizes all these men are taking apart religion and putting it back together to fit them.  Mr. Bhaer did not agree with any of the men but did not want to give any input.  However, when he was called upon to speak he did.  In fact, his words, although no one agreed with him, made the world right again in the eyes of Jo.  As she said at the end,


"Somehow, as he talked, the world got right again to Jo; the old beliefs that had lasted so long seemed better than the new.  God was not a blind force, and immortality was not a pretty fable, but a blessed fact.  She felt as if she had solid ground under her feet again; and when Mr. Bhaer paused, out-talked but not one whit convinced, Jo wanted to clap her hands and thank him."  


I think a lot of that echoes how I feel much of the time.  I cannot put the words together on the spot to say something that I believe in, and when someone else can, and although I may not fully understand, I know it is true,

I feel as if I can relate the greatest to Jo and Amy.  They are the second and fourth daughters in this family.  Jo is a rough and tumble with no manners girl who would rather be tramping through the woods with the boys.  Yet, she has an extremely active imagination that is always creating stories!  If you had not guessed, I feel as if I relate with the imagination part.  Amy is very creative and lady-like.  She loves pretty things and society.  Yes, I feel as if the two of them combined would reflect part of who I am.

This book, and books like it, cause me to think and want to do something with myself.  They are always mending or sewing, writing or creating, helping and loving each other.  I want to do that.  I wish our world was more like it was then.  At least the way it was written.

Another wish I have, I wish life had background music.  It makes everything far more romantic to have a feeling song that fits the moment and creates the mood playing in the background than sirens blasting, horns honking, and buses driving by.

I have realized, if I did not catch myself, I would never fully live in reality.  Yes, I escape often enough, but God has placed me here and I do not want to waste my life.  I want to be productive and do something!

Below is the link in case you are interested in reading it!  I highly suggest it!

http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=kTX4CBk1o4YC&printsec=frontcover&dq=good+wives+by+louisa+may+alcott&hl=en&ei=bUVXTNrcCJSt4Abj4ImnBQ&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=1&ved=0CDEQ6AEwAA#v=onepage&q&f=false