There's something nice about sharing literature and film with friends and family. They provide a common bond, a vocabulary known and understood only by the partakers of that particular book or film.When I tell my daughter I have found a "kindred spirit", she knows exactly what I mean. Just as with Anne, kindred spirits are rare and dear. We talk of Narnia magic and when it is Winter and never Christmas (a very long trial).
We agree my son-in-law is a Mr. Darcy, which is fine because I like Mr. D. I've called my son a hobbit even though he is nearly six feet tall because he likes to eat many small meals throughout the day (as in, second breakfasts). My grandson is a hobbit because...well, he looks like a hobbit right now. He's three years old with curly dark hair and big feet. Need I say more.
Shared movies have the same affect. There are lines like "I'm shocked, I'm shocked" that we use often or "the usual suspects"...both from Casablanca. How often I have said the quote from Shadowlands when C. S. Lewis tells us, "We read to know we are not alone".
I can't go into a Starbucks without thinking of the scene from You've Got Mail where the Tom Hank's character is describing how we can know who we are just by ordering a coffee. I'm a Venti Pumpkin Spice Latte With Whipped Cream kinda' girl (unless it is evening when we add decaf or I can't button my skirt so low fat becomes part of the description).
However, perhaps no two words from prose, poetry or film is used as often in our home as...my precious. Lovers of Tolkien know, within those two words are a multitude of meanings. For instance, when my son was very ill with Mono, the thermometer was called "my precious". He kept it within a couple feet at all times. We never quite figured out why it brought him comfort but it did. His father's morning crossword puzzles and sports pages from the newspaper are his precious.
So...here is a picture of my precious. It's a thing of beauty, a piece of architecture which has stood proud in many kitchens through the years. If an object can make my heart sing, this one certainly does. As for family and friends, they will put up with me waxing poetic about my precious as long as I continue to use it to bless them.
9 comments:
You are indeed a kindred spririt Brenda! You speak of friends when you quote books we hold dear in our home! Having just finished reading all of the Narnia books to my children - again! We have Narnia terms that no one else seems to understand flowing into our conversations regularly. I even have a 'beaverish' voice in which I must speak when pressed to play the part of Mrs. Beaver by our 6 year old son. Last winter we lived in the land of Dr. Doolittle and I was, naturally, Jip. We treasure good books and last winter when I was too ill to do much else, we read. I don't think we quite covered our homeschool goals, but we read - until my voice faltered! What a delight to immerse oneself in the pages of a book!
P.S. I do like my kitchenaid stand mixer too! I just try to hold it loosely since it is just a 'thing' and will one day let me down by quitting, as all things tend to do! Thankfully mine will be from abundant use and not from gathering dust! We are fond of quoting Job here - "the Lord gives, the Lord takes away, blessed be the Name of the Lord"
My husband was known as Puddleglum by his daughter for many years. I remember when he was reading the Narnia stories to her when she was in elementary school and they came upon Puddleglum for the first time. All present agreed..."there's Dad!".
He is a melancholic by nature. We also all call him Eeyore...affectionately, of course.
You know your children really love you when they decide you'll make a passable Marshwiggle! Not just anyone can be a Marshwiggle you know!
We are book-lovers, too!
My Dear Husband purchased a KitchenAid for me for our anniversary this year. It has been such a blessing! I wonder how I ever lived without it!
I just found your blog through The Sparrow's Nest and was wondering, have you ever read or heard of The Awakening Land trilogy by Conrad Richter? I love these very well written books about life on the Ohio frontier and have never met anyone who heard of them. There was a tv miniseries starring Hal Holbrook and Elizabeth Montgomery in the 70's and replayed in the 90's based on the books. If anyone have read or are interested, PLEASE let me know. I'd love to talk to someone about these books. Thanks, Jenny
I haven't read those books but I'm writing down on my "to look for" list right now. They sound great.
I didn't get my Kitchen Aid mixer until after my daughter was married. She received one as a wedding gift (from her future mother-in-law) and I kept borrowing it.
Mine is a Christmas/Birthday/etc. gift from my husband one year. I also don't know how I lived without it.
(Giggle). We do the same thing at our house. I'm always making "new" finds from my husband's long litany of interesting quotes that I always thought were uniquely his.
Casablanca and Tolkien are quoted quite often in our home too.
to anonymous, I have never read The Awakening Land, but loved the miniseries. I was reminded of it recently, when I saw Montgomery in "Mrs. Sundance" (not a memorable film) Will have to look for The Awakening Land on DVD.
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