It is never too late to be what you might have been ~ George Eliot
With such an opening I should have known that I would fall totally and completely in love with The One and Only Ivan.
Me being me, I would have to disagree with the use of the word 'never", but I generally agree with the premise of the above statement . If I didn't, I wouldn't have entered library school after 16 years as a classroom teacher, joined the Peace Corps (twice), or joined the blogging community.
"There's a difference, " Stella says gently,
"between ' can't remember' and 'won't remember.'"
"Memories are precious," Stella adds. "They help tell us who we are'
There is indeed a difference between can't and won't. Sometimes we won't remember because we can't deal with what the events in our past say about ourselves and others. Memories are indeed precious and are to be treasured. Memories are not who we are, nor are past events all that we are, but memories do help tell us who we are.
"They think I'm too old to cause trouble, " Stella says.
"Old age," she says "is a powerful disguise."
This is SO true and it just made me laugh. HARD. It is truly amazing how some people, communities, institutions, underestimate old people. Truth be told old people cause the most trouble in my experience.
It is never too late to be what you might have been ~ George Eliot
ReplyDeleteI've heard that quote before, and I always liked it because there's an innate understanding in those twelve words that people - plural - want for more, and yet, don't always know that it's in them to have it, or make it happen. It's an inspiring, and daring way to begin a story - so given that alone, plus that the characters are sassy, old people, I think I might have to add this to my TBR pile! Thanks for suggestion:)
Stella is a sassy old elephant, but please add the book to your TBR pile anyway ;-)
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