Jane Eyre February 22, 2006

I love how favorite books give you a new reason to love them during/after every reading. “Jane Eyre” has long been one of my favorites (becoming so after I wrote a paper in high school comparing the bironic heroes of said book and “Wuthering Heights” … even then I was a nerd), and yesterday JE gave me a whole new reason to appreciate it.

Observe the following quote:
“John, no one thwarted, much less punished, though he twisted the necks of pigeons, killed the little pea-chicks, set the dogs at the sheep, stripped the hothouse vines of their fruit, and broke the buds off the choicest plants in the observatory; he called his mother ‘old girl,’ too; sometimes reviled her for her dark skin, similar to his own; bluntly disregarded her wishes; not unfrequently tore and spoiled her silk attire; and he was still ‘her own darling.’”

If you know me or have read my blog at all, you know why I appreciate this quote so much. Charlotte Bronte must have been a nanny before an author …

A Tuesday Thought February 14, 2006

To no one in particular: I love you. Even if you don’t realize it – I do. As you go through today and make mistakes and have victories and wish that someone would give you a hug … know that I love you. And I always will.

Happy Tuesday.

Different Strokes February 8, 2006

Have you ever had one of those moments when you realize something is just … different? Obviously it’s not anything big, or you would have noticed it right away. I’m talking about one of those unimportant things that just seems to pop up all of a sudden. I had one of those moments today.

As I stood in the elementary school gym waiting to pick up one of my young charges, I realized there was something odd about my surroundings. And then it hit me – I look different from almost all of the community that I live in.

I’m taller than pretty much all of the women and most of the men. I have blonde hair in a place where brunette and black are dominant. I have fair skin and freckles versus the olive and dark complexions of those around me. My favorite characteristic that makes me different here is my blue eyes. In careful observance of people today I was the only one with blue eyes.

I’m surprised I’ve never noticed it before. The majority of the community here is Jewish, Medditeranean, or Persian – none of which are traditionally fair skinned, blonde-haired, and blue-eyed. It was an interesting revelation. I like being different.

It made me think about how perceptions of beauty are so different in the same country. In the South, and especially Texas, beauty is found in a tall, blonde, tanned, busty woman. In NY beauty is seen as more exotic – olive skin, almond shaped eyes, and glossy dark hair. The dichotomy is fascinating.

I won’t have to deal with being different too much longer – as of February 24 my nannying days are over and I head back to the Lone Star State for at least a few weeks. Not exactly what I had planned for my entrance into adulthood, but I’m dealing with it.

So here’s to being different, and here’s to change.