The first time I saw Pride and Prejudice the film with Keira Knightley, I was spellbound. I couldn’t believe that such a sweet love tale could exist in such a dreamy way. I loved the languid language the characters used as well as the intriguing era of women’s expectations.
It wasn’t long before I had watched the movie multiple times in one weekend and was soon hooked upon Jane Austen books.
Now, I’m not going to lie, for a solid year, I thought I was so cool to be reading Pride and Prejudice and Wuthering Heights. I was constantly checking my “classic literary tales” book list off on a Note in my iPod Touch to see which classic novel I would be reading next.
Somewhere on the road between buying out Barnes and Noble’s Bantam Classics and taking AP American Literature, I somehow faded out of prose with these classics. At some point I realized it wasn’t popular to be reading books that weren’t on Oprah’s Book List, and started to slowly stop reading my favorites.
This change was interesting. Something I vicariously lived through became something I wasn’t interested in picking up. In many ways, I wanted to start being like my peers. I wanted to be able to relate to people on every level. Clothing, TV Shows, vacations, and then even books.
I wasn’t quite possessing the confidence to pick up the literature I wanted to delve in to.
It was only a few years ago when I finally picked up Pride and Prejudice again. The same worn copy I had lovingly read during high school.
Picking it up was like finding a lost part of myself. The part where I was able to find something I once loved. (I actually felt so excited to find my copy again. It’s a little dog-earred and bent, but that is a-okay by me.)
So often, I think many people find themselves, often without realizing, drifting more to what they think other people want to see in them, instead of looking for what makes themselves happy.
Don’t be afraid to pick up your own copy of a classic, or pursue the passion which will bring you joy. Life is way too short not to read your favorite works or pursue something which has been laid on your heart.
Why not jump right in?
Your Turn! Even if its something quirky, what is something that brings you happiness and makes you, you?
Annika says
The same thing happened to me when I was younger (after college). Maybe it is a way we transition into adulthood? We cast off the things we like and try to enjoy the same things as our peers in an effort to fit in and be a grown up.
It wasn’t until I got married and had children that I revisited all those things I truly enjoyed in the past. Maybe I felt free to be myself again?
Thanks for the thoughtful post!
CaitlinLemonadePress says
Thank you for the thoughtful words, Annika. I definitely agree that as we grow we seem to learn more about what truly makes ourselves happy!