Me & Carrots (A Surprise Five Minute Post for Anne Shirley)

Lisa-Jo challenged me in a comment on my "Five Minute Friday" post to only write in five-minute increments and see what comes out. You wonderful folks who read and comment on my small corner of the blogging world have told me I'm like Anne Shirley (you know her as Anne of Green Gables). I wanted to say thank you to Anne. 


"I know I chatter on far too much... but if you only knew how many things I want to say and don't. Give me some credit" - Anne Shirley


Anne is the person who flies up on the wings of anticipation and soars into the glorious sunset and thuds to the ground because no expectation is quite free of disappointment. She teaches me how to laugh at myself when this happens, over and over, when my wild untamed imagination spins a story that the world can't quite contain and I thud to the ground. She teaches me to dust off my pride and make my spirit smile again. 


Anne has always been the person I wanted most to be in literature, ever since the spunky red hair made its first entrance into my life when I was in elementary school. I call friends "kindred spirits" and talk too much and I want to make the world laugh with me at my antics. I feel everything a little too deeply and dramatically, and me and Anne rush forward into thunderstorms and over fences and through forests all for the sake of the dramatic adventure, the story we can tell when we come home. She learns peace through her growing up in the world, and she shines her way into the hearts of everyone she meets. 


I want to be that joyful and to learn that kind of peace that keeps the spunk and the slightly ridiculous airs. I want to talk about what I imagine and dream as if it is real and possible. I yearn for the moon, the long beautiful raven hair, the future to clatter onto my doorstep. Like Anne, my reddish hair is unconventional, and I'm never sure what to make of myself next to the others. Like Anne, I love fiercely and I want to protect the ones I love and like Anne, I think my exchange with my someday husband might be, 


Gilbert: Well, I figured you can give me a hand with my work, and we'll call it a fair exchange.  
Anne: Aren't you worried? I'm liable to break another slate over your head. 
Gilbert: I'm more worried I might break one over yours, carrots.

And like Anne, I think the world is beautiful to bursting even on the cloudy days and like Anne, I want to throw my arms around it and be idealistic and build schools and teach and laugh and treasure the smallest moments and give too much of myself to everything I do. Like Anne, I want to fly up on the wings of anticipation and hope and let my imagination dream its winding way into the heart of God. 

Love,

Hilary