Tags
beatrix potter, children's stories, england, illustrations, london, miss potter, movies, writing
Tonight after work I ran to Michael’s for some water colors, trader joe’s for some english muffins and other such necessities, and then I popped over to London.
I can’t quite explain this overwhelming connection I feel toward Beatrix Potter. I believe that I am quite possibly a piece of her, if I may be so bold to think such a thing. I’ve been inspired by many writers and illustrators. I can’t watch enough interviews with Maurice Sendak; his opinions on his work, and childhood, and life & death have stayed with me always. Judy Blume was a breath of fresh air to a pre-pubescent girl who, at 24 years old… is still waiting for her breasts to come in. (I’m positive they’ll pop up any day now.) And I have admired and loved and studied Shel Silverstein and Dr. Suess since I first discovered them at a early age. Yet Beatrix Potter, I just…I don’t know if I’ll every be able to put into word how I feel about her. I want to know what her favorite food was and what she thought was funny and how she truly felt about God and people. I want to hug her and tell her how much she inspires me and how exquisite her illustrations are and how perfectly fantastical her stories sound. I want to tell her how proud I am that she bought a farm on her books alone and made her own way. And I want to have tea with her by the fire while it rains outside, and I want to gossip with her!
I watched Miss Potter tonight (which I’ve owned for years and watched before) and I usually only put things on in the background while I’m doing something else because I must always be productive. But I cozied up on the couch and watched while I finished off the last of the sour patch kids from last night and cried into the bag when she fell in love and my heart broke when she lost that love. But mostly, I was inspired. In following in my mother’s footsteps (which I always manage to do as I get older whether I mean to or not) I am finally going to start writing again. I think discovering that was productive enough for one night. Thank you Miss Potter wherever you are. I am so in awe of what you’ve done.
“There is something delicious about writing the first words of a story. You never quite know where they’ll take you.” -Beatrix Potter