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As I think (and write) about my favorite books, my memories of reading, and how all of that has affected me and my writing–I can’t help but think of that “secret garden” of Frances Hodgson Burnett acclaim.
Perhaps you too have imagined yourself pulled back into the pages of The Secret Garden. And, why?
- It’s a reminder that tragedy happens, even to the young and innocent. All we can do is cope (and help our children to discover ways to survive.
- The book is about renewal, and about rebirth. We come to understand that anything can become new again–as long as enough time, care, and understanding are put forth.
- Change takes us out of our comfort zone(s), away from everything we’ve known and loved. At the end of the day, though, (even through the tragedy and heart-ache) change can take us right where we need to be.
- That secret garden is a fairyland, a magic place. I’ve always wanted a place like that (perhaps we all do, without ever really knowing it).
- It’s also an exploration of communication, and the re-discovery of language between human beings who should care about each other (but who are so afraid of connecting).
Burnett also wrote: “If you look the right way, you can see that the whole world is a garden.”
What wonders in writing and literature would we create if we were had a place like the secret garden, as a reading spot, a writing spot, or just a place to sit or walk and soak up the simple beauty of Nature?
Have you ever discovered your “secret garden”? What did it inspire you to write?