Holly: I really like that line from Shadowlands as well. Once we realize that — that what we think of as happiness isn’t actually the same thing as the joy that God wants for us (“men are, that they might have joy”) — it becomes easier to deal with life without losing faith in God. I’m glad the other movies were good, too. :) It’s refreshing to think that there are still good films left in the world, and even new ones getting made. If only there were more of them…

Looking back on my own childhood, I’m finding almost the same thing. I spent a lot of time reading, and while I did have three rather good friends in the early years, we drifted our separate ways. But books were always there for me. And still are. I really have no idea what I’d do without books — other than go crazy, that is. I’m addicted. Well, the way I’m addicted to food and water. :)

Back on my mission in Thailand, one of the members once told me that whenever she feels lonely, she starts reading a book and she doesn’t feel alone anymore. I’ve never forgotten that. Last summer I lived alone for two months, since my roommates had all moved home for summer term, and reading books (that was when I got caught up on all the Harry Potter books, actually) was how I survived. Even now, if I’m feeling down, I know now that the surefire way for me to feel good again is to pick up a book. It’s through reading that I get in touch with reality, often. I feel stronger coming out of a book, more prepared to deal with my trials, more excited to suck the marrow out of life. I’m who I am today because of the books I’ve read.

Cathryn recently posted this quote from Elder Uchtdorf at a stake conference: “You broaden your horizons and develop a judgment in your heart between good and bad by reading. Make reading a part of your life and your children’s lives.” Amen! I’ve already quoted (several times) C.S. Lewis’s statement that when we read, we become a thousand people and yet remain ourselves. Not that talking with people in real life is inferior, of course, but in reading you do get insights into the author’s mind that would be hard to get elsewhere.

You know, I was thinking about how I perceive literary characters in my imagination, and I realized that it’s exactly the same way I perceive historical figures. In other words, my mind makes no real distinctions between the two, other than a small tag saying “This person really existed.” But Lincoln and Plato are just as inaccessible to me as Anne Shirley and Frodo and the Pevensies. I don’t mean that the distinction between reality and fiction doesn’t exist or even that it shouldn’t exist, but on an emotional/imaginative level, differentiating them seems to be largely pointless (to me, at least). Now if only there were some way for heaven to bring all of my favorite characters to life — that would be überheaven. :)

That is very possibly my *favorite* part of that whole movie. If I was forced to pick a favorite part anyway. Mostly because it relates *so* much to my childhood. Ready for a story? Ok-

Growing up I didn’t have many friends in elementary school/Jr. High school. I mean, I had a few but no bosom friends. Part of that is because of my teachers-pet like qualities. Part of that is because I go through obsessive phases where I learn everything I can about different parts of history, or memorize whole sections of my favorite books or something equally strange (well…I don’t think it’s strange, but most people do), and I get so *excited* about it that I have to share it with everyone. This Robin Hood thing is an example. Liz will tease me about it and roll my eyes about it but really-I have become some kind of lexicon of the legend-it’s how I work. Sixth grade it was the Titanic and the Oregon trail. Seventh grade it was the Romanov dynasty. Eighth grade it was more of the Romanovs, but more specifically on the fall of Tzar Nicholas and family. Ninth grade it was Egypt. The list goes on. Because of this tendency in me, I spent a lot of time living in my head. I read anything and everything I could get my hands on. Some of it was trash (thank heaven my Babysitters Club fandom didn’t last long), but some of it stuck. I still read Anne of Green Gables every summer. I still ache for Jo every time Beth dies in Little Women. I have wanted to fly *so* badly ever since I read Peter Pan and I checked the back of every wardrobe I saw until I was ten. And it might make me slightly obsessive to check wardrobes and leave my window open but in reality I think I survived because Anne, and Peter, and Jo, and Aslan, and all the rest of them were so *real* to me that I didn’t ever feel like I didn’t have friends even when I couldn’t touch them.

Hope this comment wasn’t wasted :) Just wanted to say that I agree with you and horray for Shadowlands and all of Anthony Hopkins’ amazingness.