Of Gardens and Secret Things

I just finished reading The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett.
Although this book was written for children it is decidedly not only for children to read.
I loved this book. The images were so captivating. You could almost feel the garden come to life as the words spilled out over the pages.

I want to share with you a few excerpts that I found very profound.

"Give her simple, healthy food. Let her run wild in the garden. Don't look after her too much. She needs liberty and fresh air and romping about." This is what makes a child happy and healthy.

And my favorite:

"One of the strange things about living in the world is that it is only now and then one is quite sure one is going to live forever and ever and ever. One knows it sometimes when one gets up at the tender solemn dawn-time and goes out and stands alone and throws one's head far back and looks up and up and watches the pale sky slowly changing and flushing and marvelous unknown things happening until the East almost makes on cry out and one's heart stands still at the strange unchanging majesty of the rising of the sun- which has been happening every morning for thousands and thousands and thousands of years. One knows it then for a moment or so. And one knows it sometimes when one stands by oneself in a wood at sunset and the mysterious deep gold stillness slanting through and under the branches seems to be saying slowly again and a gain something one cannot quite hear, however much one tries. Then sometimes the immense quiet of the dark blue at night with millions of stars waiting and watching makes on sure; and sometimes a sound of far-off music makes it true; and sometimes a look in someones eyes."

And lastly, although I am not a believer in Christianity, I do believe in Spirit. In something greater than us. Something that lives and breathes and is in all things. When the children in the book saw the Magic that was in and around the garden all they could do was sing this song:

"Praise God from whom all blessings flow,

Praise Him all creatures here below,

Praise Him above ye Heavenly Host,

Praise Father, Son and Holy Ghost. Amen."

And THAT is just exactly how I feel.