178: Rediscovered Life

My goal was to rediscover life.

And I’ve learned a lot by following Jane.

I distinctly remember the Sunday evening in March when I was driving home, wondering how I could improve my life and do something that wouldn’t be extremely out of the ordinary.

I love reading… what could I read and document my life that would be meaningful?

AND LIKE A BOLT OF LIGHTNING…. Jane.

I could all 6 Jane Austen books.

And here I am. End date: July 2011.

I’ve read all 6 books and documented my life here. I’ve discovered rediscovered a lot. Here’s what I found.

Northanger Abbey: The essence of Austen dripped from the pages as I started, and I began to romance my wife. Not the most uplifting and character-enchanting novel, but a good start to reboot my “I’d like to date you” mentality.

Sense and Sensibility: Intrigued and engaged in these relationships. I began to see the characters in the novel in friendships in my life. This was real. This was my reality TV as I began the summer of 2010. S&S has become my favorite (but I won’t tell P&P that). I’d reread this one in the near future, too.

Pride and Prejudice: I got positive feedback any time I mentioned that I was reading this novel. A classic. A icon. I learned that I am Mr. Darcy. I learned that Jane Austen’s whit in writing doesn’t fall out of style or touch. I love this book. LOVE these characters, and I discovered the part in my heart that is designed for literature. Let me take off my hat, and bow to you, Ms. Austen.

Mansfield Park: The horrible sequel. The unfortunate Aunt who shows up to the dinner party. I rather large novel that follows Pride and Prejudice. Fanny Price isn’t my favorite, and I discovered that I like women to have their own voice. I like when women are in charge of their emotions and are able to stand strong in relationships.

Emma: Good book, and a GREAT character. I love Emma. She has the spunk and charismatic personality that I like. I’d be friends with her if she was around today. I would  invite her to be a part of my family, friends, and life. I realized that knowing and having meaningful relationships are just as important as knowing yourself. Even as the book dragged on towards the end, Emma is a great (yet challenging) read.

Persuasion: Characters… Eh. Storyline… okay. My favorite? Not so much, BUT… I will say that living out your hopes, dreams, and loves must happen in order to achieve happiness. Closing the last page, I didn’t see the characters as happy or content. I saw them as mere products of their persuasive situations. As unfortunate (or fortunate) for them, I discovered that I can’t stand in the way of someone’s purpose or plan.

So there you go. That’s why I rediscovered w/ the scribbles of Ms. Jane Austen.