It's a Classical Life

  Seasons of life and seasons of the year have a way of sneaking up on us, which is funny because we know that are always coming. Whichever way you look at it, seasons usually have something to do with change. Sometimes this change is expected, anticipated, even longed for. Sometimes change can be thrust upon us when we least expect it or want it. We all know that change is an inevitable part of life; simply watching the passing of the seasons each year reminds us of that, no matter how much we may wish to slow time. Spring has arrived where I am, and by following friends in the northern hemisphere, I can see that signs of autumn are reaching there also. Watching the seasons change is a wonderful, natural thing. It is a time to remind us that one season is ending and a new one is coming. We shan't see the likes of winter for a while now. Although we may get the occasional frosty morning or low lying fog, the depths of winter have passed. The days are longer. Buds and new leaves are...

Who is Jane Eyre? Ask her and she will tell you, for she knows exactly who she is. Don't ask Mr Rochester, because he has his own, blinkered view of her. Don't ask Mr St. John Rivers, because he doesn't understand her either, or recognise her for her true worth. Ask Jane; she will tell you that she will not be swayed by the opinions of others, nor will she conform or try to be someone she is not.  These days when I read or reread a book, I do it with the mind of not only entertainment but also, as a source of influence or inspiration. How can the book help me to live a more refined life? A classically, simple life full of pleasure, contentment and overall satisfaction. For these are my goals: to be satisfied with how I am living my modest, modern life;  and by having true confidence in who I am and what I believe  without being swept away by societal trends and the current zeitgeist. As I read Charlotte Bronte's Jane Eyre  it didn't take me long to see what aspect o...