Life, love and literature

When my roommate and I graduated from college in 1960 and began our lives using the degrees we had earned, we knew we would be far away from each other. I was engaged to be married; she was going back to her home in Florida to teach elementary school. Through the four years of college we had known each other, we had discovered the first time we met that we loved to read – and we shared an inordinate love of the literature of England. When we parted, we made a pact that we would someday travel to England to see where the great writers had lived and walked and written. Life seems to alter the “best laid plans“ and years went by. We did stay in touch and saw each other when we could but we never got around to going to England. Then in 2011, my sisters and I did it! We took a 10 day trip with a tour of various places all the way from London to Edinburgh, Scotland. It was all I had ever thought it would be. I hyperventilated more than once, but the absolutely most beautiful and emotional day was spent in the Lake District, walking where William Wordsworth had walked, taking a boat ride on Lake Windermere, visiting his grave. He has long been my favorite of the English poets – (Shakespeare is my favorite English playwright) Wordsworth can move me with his simple, life affirming description. His ODE ON INTIMATIONS OF IMMORTALITY should be required reading for every high school class of English literature! He writes about life and shows the reader what is important when he says, “The best portion of a man’s life, his little nameless, unremembered acts of kindness and love.” Another favorite quote has been used as the basis of a film which illustrates that some things cannot be relived -SPLENDOR IN THE GRASS is a poignant movie illustrating his quote, “Though nothing can bring back the hour of splendor in the grass, glory in the flower, we will grieve not, rather find strength in what remains behind. “ I can’t actually say enough about this author’s insight and skill. I think if one were to design greeting cards using Wordsworth quotes, there would be words for every occasion. If any of you remember being reluctant to get into poetry when you were young, give him another chance. He might just grow on you!