Fiddle-de-dee

"Fiddle-de-dee!"  That's what I thought about Gone With the Wind by page 926.  I mentally checked out from the saga very quickly, and prematurely.  From page 926, it's all predictable and miserable, and I decided not to indulge myself in the misery any more.  The only thing I couldn't figure out was what could happen to Bonnie.  After a quick google search, I thought the author took the cheap way out by killing Bonnie off.  Come on.  Margaret must have been bound and determined to see Scarlett miserable at the end of her story.  Ugh!  My opinion about the whole book in general....Amazing writing, a wonderful historical setting, moving and even edifying, fantastic character development, but very poor character selection.  Come on Margaret Mitchell, how many antagonists can one book contain?   
After thinking a lot about this book, loosing sleep over this book, and even seething over my husband at times (forgetting I was really Rachel and not Ms. Scarlett), I found myself grasping for what truth I knew that could sustain me and give me answers to my questions as to how people can become so selfish and stupid.  How grateful I was when my personal cannon, the scriptures, came to my mind as I thought of the scripture from James 1:22, which state, "But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves."  To me, this was the overarching theme of the book, and it applies to all the main characters.    
Scarlett was slick with numbers and self-gratification, but when it came to understanding people and society in general, she was repulsive.  Scarlett did not enjoy reading or learning, and was never exposed to greatness other than her own mother.  Scarlett knew her mother stood for many great and admirable things and wanted so badly to be so much like her.  Scarlett's hang up was that she never really listened to her - she mostly cared to touch her and smell her.  One credit I must give Scarlett was that she was a doer, but the only thing she ever let herself hear was the vanity of the world, and so her actions became very worldly.  Poor Scarlett, who never slowed down enough to let herself think, especially to think about her mother.  To me, that was her greatest downfall.  She became a great hypocrite, deceiving everyone, including herself.
Ashley gives me fits, because he was very well educated, he read lots and loved the art of thinking.  I'm sure he was very knowledgeable of many stories of heroes and heroines, the great leaders of all ages, the deepest and greatest thinkers of history, and the Shakespeare tragedies that lead to utter despair.  Yet despite all this, he fails to let his knowledge inspire him!  Yes, he fought bravely in the war, but he sells himself short despite all he has been given and taught.  I wanted to holler, "Carry your banner!"  "Rally for your strength!" "Hold your virtue!", but he fails and brings misery to himself and his family.  What a tragedy.  He was solely a hearer of the word, and failed to do anything.
Then there's Rhett....he was a hearer and a doer of the words he chose to hear.  He was very well educated and chose to follow the path of the antagonists - the life of a land-locked pirate.  It isn't until the 11th hours that he hearkens to the call of virtue and quickly tries to change courses.  This walking in between two worlds eventually weakens his character and he sells his readers short at the end of the book, when he leaves Scarlett.  I was forever frustrated at his lack of communication with Scarlett, his non-thinking wife.  She was too silly to communicate well, but he was always thorough with the art of communicating when he wanted to be.  Why he didn't follow through with this characteristic is beyond me.   
Then there's Melanie, along with Careen, Ellen, and even Will Benteen, who are steadfast because they were hearers and doers of the word.  Melanie especially, truly hears people and listens to the teachings from good books.  She lets them settle in her heart, and she becomes loyal to those people and teachings and does not falter in nourishing them.  Ahh, to be like Melanie, so naive and happy.
I've come away from this book wondering how my "education" is treating me.  Am I an active participant in the hearing and the doing as well?  From this book, I have heard my heart tell me certain things...to be loyal, loving, and trustworthy; to be forgiving; and to focus on the future and not indulge in what could have been.  I hope I will forever be engaged in the doing of these things.

Women are like dogs....

Hmmm.... I've thought a lot about this phrase someone once told me.  I was talking to someone over a decade ago and he mentioned how women were like dogs, in that they often prefer unkind beaus.  At first I was insulted, but then I had to give him a little credit.  Sometimes it is true.
I have been reading Gone With the Wind the past few weeks and I'm at a point in the book where I am steaming mad at Scarlett (which I'll address later) and find myself defending the rouge Rhett Butler, and I find myself questioning, "Am I lowering myself to 'dog' status?"  I'm trying to figure out what it is about the character Rhett that draws my heart to him.  Obviously, his good looks, strength, self-assurance, smile, grace, and stylish clothes help!  But then I think of his low morals and utter selfishness, and his lesser sin of tactlessness, I wonder, "Am I drawn to him because I can overlook this ugliness in his, or because it's exciting to revel in a little wickedness?"  So, this is what I've come to...I'm not drawn to his wicked ways, and I am quite repelled by them.  BUT a lady likes to be pleasing to the eye to her male counterparts (may I even dare say, sexy), and it is always the unhallowed eye that appreciates the good looks and shape of a woman, which look Rhett so often gives.  It may cause us women some discomfort, but deep down, we feel smug and desireable. (By the way, I am not talking about a look of slimy vulgarity.)  It's not the sin that's attractive, but perhaps it's the result of the sin.  It sounds scandalous, but it may be just so for many women.  Hence, I guess I'm saying, if this book were real life, I would find myself intriguingly wagging my tail at this abasing character.
Then I have to wonder, if women are like dogs because they are drawn to somewhat filthy men,  what does that make all the men that are always drawn to Scarlett?  So here is my simile for men...Men are like worms.  Yes, they enjoy their muddy homes, but after a good rain, when the soil is most comfortable, they are drawn blindly towards the sun.  They think the sun's rays will feel so good, and they become irresistibly allured, so they follow the warmth of this great sun, only to find themselves shriveled and writhing in the road when everything is said and done.  Yes, men are like worms that are drawn to self-serving, manipulating, vindictive women, when they can't see past a pair of fine eyes and a twisted smile.
After thinking about all this, I've decided it would just be nice and comfortable if males and females were simply honest, loyal, and respectful towards one another, and then things wouldn't have to be so confusing, and none of us would ever abase ourselves to acting like dogs or worms.  Ahh, yes, those would be the days.  How glad I am to be removed from the true world of dating and to have myself a man who is all of those things - honest, loyal, and respectful (as well as strong, confident, good-looking, and a great smile to boot).  In many ways, my life is simple and enduring and full of love.  How I am grateful.   
I'm sure when I'm done reading this book, there will be more thoughts and final words.  I will be sure to keep you posted.

Excelsior!

Several months ago Peter came across the poem Excelsior, by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow.  He fell in love with it, and frankly, so did I.  We were inspired by the word Excelsior, it meaning to climb higher, onward, and up-going.  It's been my montra these past months.  I was really proud of Peter when he decided to memorize it.  I recorded him, so you can be just as proud too (okay, at least a little proud:)).