the first thing i was going to tell you is that i read a lot of children's books. fantasy, fiction, or however you want to categorize them. then i wanted to tell you that they aren't really children's books. the way alice in wonderland is not really a children's book. i fully intended to try to get this point across eloquently and succinctly, but tolkien (along with sendak and gaiman) has already said the words that need to be said regarding this subject. read here.
i wanted to share a brilliant little nugget on dealing with life's little irritations (those irksome, itchy little things that can throw off your whole day) from one of my favorite authors, diana wynne jones. (if you are not familiar with her, please get familiar. howl's moving castle is a good place to start.)
his car has driven off the road. its front wheel is sunk in the mud. this is not an extraordinary or fantastical situation. it is life. plain, old, non-fiction life. what happens next is still not fantasy. but there is magic in it, i think.
"he thought that the position of the wheel in the ditch was only a temporary and relative fact, untrue five minutes ago and untrue five minutes from now."
it is an idea that gets me through traffic jams, spilled milk, at&t's "customer service" and life's other little unpleasantries. irritation is largely impermanent. (i should probably write this on the back of my hand before attempting any kind of holiday shopping.) wishing you peace, my darlings.
xo. r
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