Longing for a time gone by

Over the late winter and spring, I read through the Little House series by Laura Ingalls Wilder. Right now, I am in the middle of the Green Gables series (or should it be called the Anne series? I'm never quite sure) by L.M. Montgomery. I have also, thanks to Ryan, discovered the several companion series to Little House. There are a few sets of books, unfortunately now only available in bookstores as abridged versions, although if you are willing to do some hunting, you can find the originals, about Laura's great-grandmother, grandmother, and mother. They are written for children and, having only read the first of the 'Martha Years' books, seem to try and imitate the style of Wilder's stories. (Martha Morse Tucker was Laura's great-grandmother, and grew up in Scotland.) I have managed to get the first three books of the series, but must finish my weekly Shakespeare before I let myself get distracted with them. Too bad I've been less controlled about that with the Green Gables books!

Reading these stories, I find myself wishing I could have lived in a time when things were more simple. People seemed to appreciate things more, not just items, which they often did without, but gestures. Bringing a basket of jams, cheese, bread, and maybe a small handmade item was just something you did for those in need. Holidays were more about being together than what gifts you received (and those gifts were, for the most part, handmade and greatly appreciated). Maybe that's why I keep going back to them.

I will admit, though, that there are some things I do not miss. The first being the restrictions placed on women - the majority could not read, and those who were taught were only given enough to be able to keep the household accounts (generally the "upper class"), also they had no real rights, going from the "authority" of a father or brother to that of a husband, sometimes without much choice in the matter. A few, strong-minded women remained unmarried and held their own property, but that also carried a stigma. After all, a woman's purpose was to be a wife and mother! The second would be the wardrobe - I love my skirts, and tend to wear them almost exclusively over pants, but it's my choice. And, as we are in the middle of one of the warmest, most humid summers I can remember in a long time, I would not enjoy having to wear all the extra layers deemed to be decent by these ladies. Petticoats, corsets, high collars, and don't even think about cutting your hair no matter what the weather? No, thank you.

So, maybe the trick isn't to wish I was back in these "days of yore", but to take the spirit of them into now; to enjoy the family and friends around me, to appreciate what I have, and what I can give.