A Dying Wish, Selkies, and Thoughts on Anne with an E

Hello. I just wanted thank everyone SO much for all the kind words and comments I have received since the loss of our beloved cat Thomas. It is such a reminder to me that “followers” are so much more than clicks on a computer screen. They are people with real lives and a tremendous amount of empathy. As Anne of Green Gables would say, I just know that many of you are “kindred spirits.”

 

This past week has been another lesson on loss. This can be harder for younger children because generally they are “less seasoned” with loss as some of us who have been around for awhile. Yet Truthfully, does anyone ever become “seasoned” by loss? It hurts every time. On another note, I am always amazed by the resilience of the little people. In some ways, they truly are protected.

Allowing my children to grieve in their own way, was the best thing that I could do. I let them know it was coming, and I tried to include them in the planning process as much as possible so they could choose the best way to honor their pet.

When handling my daughters loss of our pet, I was so glad that I had attended a few workshops from my friend, Amy Wright Glenn. I highly recommend her books, and I am not just saying this because she is a friend. They are Birth, Breath, and Death: Meditations on Motherhood, Chaplaincy, and Life as a Doula, and Holding Space: On Loving, Dying, and Letting Go.

Photos by Kira Lisa. Thomas with my Daughters: Mandaline, Kira, and Ember

I am going to switch topics here and get back to Anne of Green Gables and this idea of kindred spirits. Have any of you seen the new season of Anne with an E? It is now showing  on Netflix. I am a HUGE fan of the books and the old series. My girls and I watched them all. The new Anne with an E has been met with mixed reviews. I have two thoughts about this and I have decided that these reviews are mixed for two reasons:

1.) People are just so attached to the old Anne of Green Gables.

2.) The new Anne has addressed issues such as girls coming of age with their sexuality, suicide, race, and sexual orientation.

These were my thoughts upon initial first impression:

1). I really like the New Anne and the new Gilbert. I daresay, I like the new Anne better. I didn’t think I could ever get past the feelings I had for the old Gilbert. If you want to talk about loss, the death of the original actor who played Gilbert Blythe was a hard hit for me. The new Gilbert had hard shoes to fill and he did it! This new Gilbert is charming in his own way without trying to be a duplicate of the old Gilbert.

2). I had a hard time getting used to the new Marilla at first. I quickly got over it. I love the new Marilla. I believe both actresses who have played Marilla have done an excellent job. I will also say the same for both characters who have played Matthew, but the verdict on that is that is that I’m still attached to the old Matthew.

3). Miss Stacey. I Love the new miss Stacey. I like what the new series has done for her image. Let’s just say this new miss Stacey is a little quirkier with a Mary Poppins twist. I’m liking it!

4). Hands down, I think that I am loving this new Rachel. Trust me… she grows on you. It was a hard one at first because she is so unlike the original Rachel.  Her character depth really increases the further the story moves along. The friendship between her and Marilla seems so engaging, and has new depth.

5). I struggled with the new Diana and Mrs. Berry at first, but like Rachel, they also grow on you. They are so unlike the originals. The same goes for Aunt Josephine. The new Anne with an E  gives an in-depth view of Mrs. Berry in one of the episodes, and I could totally appreciate that. Generally, she seems uppity. I like how the new Anne with an “E” addresses that she may just be experiencing societal pressures.

6). Two characters that I am really in love with are Jerry, the french Canadian stable boy, and Sebastian. I am loving the story line with Sebastian.

7). I would talk more about Anne’s new friend Cole or aunt Josephine, but I don’t want to give it away. It would be a spoiler alert.

Overall, I am in Love with the new Anne of Green Gables. I love the catchy new tune and the sense of magical realism I get from watching the Intro. I may be up against great opposition on this one when it comes to traditional Christian values. So be it. If I let that get in the way, I would truly be missing out on an enriching story that gives me such a nostalgic sense of Prince Edward Island.

So this is it…If I found out I was dying, and I had myself a “make a wish” this would be my last hurrah:

1. I’d take my girls and I to Prince Edward Island and two…
2. I know this is totally unrelated to Prince Edward Island, but I would take my family on a trip to the United Kingdom. We are obsessed with stories about Selkies and we love our British Bands. One in particular. You guessed it… The BEATLES!

Here are some of our favorite movies about Selkies if you are interested.

1. The Secret of Roan Inish.
2. Ondine.
3. Shine of Rainbows. A little known movie, but one of my absolute family favorites.

So by the time you read this, I’ll be in Wyoming. I will have SO much to tell and I can’t wait to blog about it. Thank you for reading and if you are not a fan of Anne of Green Gables or even Anne with an E, I hope you can forgive me for gushing about it this entire post. I’d just be so interested to know if any other readers out there have any further thoughts on this new Anne with an E?  I would love to hear them!