MAJOR SPOILERS AHEAD- Stop if you’ve never read the books and go read them.

I’m re-reading (probably for the 5th time) the Anne of Green Gables series by L.M. Montgomery. This is probably my favorite series of books ever. I was probably 9 or 10 when I read these books the first time and I skimmed A LOT. As a grown-up, I’m discovering new points that I never saw when I was a child.

1. It’s okay to indulge your children. Marilla was raising Anne the best she could – L.M. Montgomery doesn’t seem to describe Matthew and Marilla’s life pre-Anne very much but from their characters, I infer they didn’t have very happy childhoods. She starts out hard but her love for Anne begins to soften her and continues to do so throughout the series. She becomes devoted to Anne’s happiness which is all anyone could ask of a parent. I feel that she was trying to build resiliency in Anne but she didn’t understand that Anne was already very resilient and needed love. Matthew got that. For the whole first part of the book – Anne is lamenting that she doesn’t have puffed sleeves and Marilla is firmly against it. Matthew goes behind Marilla’s back because he realizes that Anne feels left out and has low self confidence in some ways. He feels like more fashionable clothing will help. This is a simple solution to a more complex problem but very symbolic in the story. This is when Marilla starts loosening up. Matthew goes to bat for Anne a couple of other times in the same way. I think there are at least two questions you need to ask yourself when you are answering these kinds of requests – one is are they being left out of something because they don’t have the coveted item? The second question – is it harmful to them?
2. Be yourself – you’ll find your tribe. Anne and I were kindred spirits when I was younger. I was an odd kid. I didn’t know how to relate to my peers. I did better with adults and children who were younger than me. I lived in my head. I was very intelligent but prone to daydreaming and losing interest. Anne was adopted by Matthew and Marilla when she was 11. I sort of started losing my “inner Anne” when I was about 11. I fell behind in school and I didn’t know how to handle the new social intricacies of pre-teen kids. Anne’s lesson is that it’s ok to be yourself – people will find you and love you. I’m learning that lesson slowly as I get older. I am coming to terms with the fact that I’m not for everyone. I want to be – so I try very hard to connect with other people. Trying too hard is my biggest issue. But I have found some tribe members – my husband, a few friends, even brief interactions with strangers that I know mean something. Anne found people who could appreciate her for her uniqueness and uncommon contribution to their lives. I’m so appreciative of the people in my life. “Kindred spirits are not so scarce as I used to think. It’s splendid to find out there are so many of them in the world.”― L.M. Montgomery
3. Mistakes are how we learn. Anne made a ton of mistakes. One memorable one is that she dyed her hair green in an attempt to change it black. The next time she tried to “meddle with her looks” she made a lotion from a recipe in a magazine, but instead used a red dye. After that, she poured the lotion out the window and decided that she would not try to change her looks in the future. She also sold a cow that wasn’t hers, twisted her ankle because of a dare, and got her friend drunk. Marilla gives her consequences but doesn’t seem to hold her past mistakes against her and as she grows up – allows her to fix her own. We’ve all made plenty of mistakes – but we learn from them, too. “Tomorrow is a new day with no mistakes in it… yet.” – L.M. Montgomery
4. Find beauty in the everyday. Anne does this from the first chapter in the first book. She imagines that if Matthew does not pick her up that she will sleep up in a tree. She finds the idea very romantic. As they are driving to Avonlea, she names all of the scenery. The Avenue becomes the “White Way of Delight”. She continues this throughout the series, sometimes allowing her friends to join her (but that’s how we end up with Birch Path). She loves flowers and uses them to decorate the house often. At first, Marilla is not enthused but by the second book enjoys and admires Anne’s floral arranging. She also finds the good in her experiences and people. She accepts people for who they are and seeks to find the good in them. Aunt Josephine – not known for happiness or fun – grows to love Anne and becomes an important figure in her life. Anne sees the possibility in her and she rises to it. What needs a brand new, shiny name in your life? What could use some color and brightness? Who can you notice the good in? “Look at that sea, girls–all silver and shadow and vision of things not seen. We couldn’t enjoy its loveliness any more if we had millions of dollars and ropes of diamonds. – L.M. Montgomery
5. Everything can be improved upon with imagination and hard work. Anne did an equal amount of both. She was an exceptional student in school and won a prestigious scholarship. She was not afraid of any chore that Marilla gave her. However, when she was lonely before she was adopted – she had imaginary friends and thought about how her life could be better. She and her friends created an improvement society for Avonlea and tried to make real changes in their surroundings. I think the lesson is – imagine what could be and make it so. This can have varying results – like Anne’s aspiration to be a raven haired beauty or trying to change her name to Cordelia. At least she took her thoughts and tried them out. “Because when you are imagining, you might as well imagine something worth while.” – L.M. Montgomery

Because these books were published so long ago – you can read them and other books by Lucy Maud Montgomery for free at Project Gutenburg.