"Psst...Carrots!"
When I signed on to host a "Christmas with Anne of Green Gables" program at my library, I knew it would bring back some childhood memories, but I had no idea that it would be like opening the floodgates. If you can believe it, I've never read the books...growing up, I was such a huge fan of the movies that I just knew I'd ruin the whole thing by reading them (which is so backwards, I know!). And since I didn't have enough time to go through Lucy Maud Montgomery's whole catalog before the program, I decided to revisit the movies for the first time in probably 15 years.
I can't even begin to explain how deeply Anne's character resonates with me. "My God," I thought as her story unfolded, "that's ME!" It was so like watching myself at that age that I had tears streaming down my face. Bookwormish, imaginative, melodramatic...that describes both me and Anne to a T. I can remember seeing the movies as a little girl, wanting so desperately to be just like her and knowing that I could never be that clever, brave, impetuous, beautiful. Even today, I wish I had more of her spunk and eloquence. And her story is so utterly romantic that my heart aches to think of it. To have such a handsome, intelligent, witty man pine for you the way Gilbert Blythe pines for her...even though my marriage and husband are both wonderful, I couldn't help but wish that I'd waited for a Gilbert of my own to come around.
There's a reason why "Anne of Green Gables" has remained in the public's consciousness for 100 years - it's a timeless, beautiful story, plain and simple. And one of these days, I might get around to finishing the books. :-)
One of my favorite scenes, when Anne's skiff sinks and Gilbert rescues her. The two come so tantalizing close to admitting their true feelings for one another.
I remember thinking that there was no more beautiful and elegant dress in the world than the one Anne wore when reciting "The Highwayman".
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