'Anne'

I've just been reading the 'Anne' series by L.M Montgomery for the umpteenth time. Anne of Green Gables, Anne of Avonlea, Anne of the Island, Anne of Windy Willows, Anne's House of Dreams, Anne of Ingleside, Rainbow Valley as well as Chronicles of Avonlea, and Further Chronicles of Avonlea.

How I love Anne! She is my favorite character. Whenever Life pulls a fast one on me, I always wonder, what would Anne do? She is whimsical,clever, impulsive, good and sweet. I love her 'good'ness. She's good without being a prig. She's by no means perfect, and constantly laments having red hair and comforts herself with her pretty nose. She is also very proud at times and finds it very hard to forgive digs about her hair!

L.M Montgomery has described her gray, starry eyes that change with mood and I can almost see them flashing an approval at me, when I go for a walk at lakeside and indulge my Imagination. Dreams make life worth living.

Anne does not live a half life and is capable of experiencing the most exquisite joy and sorrow. I've realised that it's very difficult for people to be happy, really happy. Not just when they win a prize, but by regular every day miracles like a gorgeous sunset or an encouraging word. But these 'regular' things just seem to give Anne more and more scope for imagination and she revels in that! I love that about her!

That makes me think of Charlotte Bronte! How can a woman living a prim secluded life write something like 'Wuthering Heights'?! How can she write about Catherine's love for Heathcliff and describe it like 'the rocks on the moor below, comfortless but necessary.' How did she feel those emotions, to write about them like that? Did her life open up her 'golden casements' to 'perilous seas of faery lands forlorn?

Anne is not a genius, but she has the keys to her casements and it casts a golden cloak over her life making her one of those lucky, happy individuals. I love the way she describes 'people who belong to the race of Joseph' and I always have a weather eye open for people who do! I feel I have found a lot of them as I've followed my wayward star and I feel that they've made my life all the richer for it.

Anne's optimism, her sense of humour and her strength and her 'fineness' have made her a role model for me. I wonder if any of you have read this series and love Anne too? If you do, do tell me about it! I'm all up for a nice L.M Montgomery revel! I've read every scrap she's written and though I don't think her a brilliant authoress, I think her books have a rare sweet charm, somewhat like bottled moonshine, or like bluberries fresh from the dell, which i've never come across before!