The Next Big Trip

We will be starting out our next big trip to Prince Edward Island in just under three months. We fell in love with this Canadian province largely because of the novels of Lucy Maud Montgomery. She was born in 1874 and died in 1942. The Anne of Green Gables series of books (there are eight of them) were published from 1908 to 1939. R.J. and I have loved the characters created within these books almost as family members. We felt a deep connection to the land where they lived, the Prince Edward Island countryside where L. M. Montgomery grew up – so strong, that we traveled there on the occasion of our 30^th anniversary. That has been almost five years ago now, and we are gearing up for another trip. We love it so much that we are considering going every five years.

Green Gables Heritage Place on Prince Edward Island

 One of the things about Lucy Maud that I am just discovering is her struggle with depression. The language of her books speaks to resilience. The title character, Anne Shirley, is faced with crisis after crisis in her early childhood days, as an orphan. She uses her imagination, in combination with her appreciation for the beauty in this world, as a shield against the pain. She finds the beauty in others, often times others that the world would overlook. One of the reasons that I don’t care for some of the newer adaptations of the stories is that they miss the heart of Anne. In the newer Netflix series, “Anne with an E”, Anne is portrayed as almost deranged. Her flights of imagination take on a spooky quality, rather than the sweet escape that they were in the books. She seems selfish and volatile, damaged by her past rather than shaped by it. I could go on and on with reasons that these newer shows miss the mark, but suffice it to say that you should read the books.

If you do read the books, I believe you will get a glimpse of L.M. Montgomery’s life. Her mother died when she was young, and her father left her to be raised by her grandparents. Lucy Maud herself conceded that some of Anne’s quirks and flights of fancy were autobiographical. This author was a remarkable person. She lived in a time long before “Women’s Rights” were popular. She struggled with depression and still managed to write some of the most beloved books of her era. As our own family members struggle with mental health issues, we have become more sensitive to the pain that struggle can bring, and more impressed by the strength that it takes to persevere in spite of that pain. This “Heritage Minute” by Historica Canada puts some of Lucy’s own words into motion to show the strength of character she displayed.

I am looking forward to walking along the red sand beaches of my favorite island vacation spot. I am looking forward to seeing the same sights that this remarkable woman saw, and feeling the kinship with her. I am looking forward to embracing the spirit of PEI, if only for a week.

Me, sipping my chai and gazing at the shore of PEI

Dipping my toes in the ocean.

Beautiful red shores of PEI

 Some may prefer the tropical islands of the South Pacific (or Atlantic), but I will take my Northern Atlantic island any day. See you in about three months, beautiful Prince Edward Island!