Anne-isms

I just finished reading Anne of Green Gables for the first time, and I absolutely loved it. I can't wait to read all of the rest of them. This is not my first introduction to Anne Shirley. I've seen the movies dozens of time, and played Ruby Gillis in a play version of Anne of Avonlea, and Anne of the Island is one of my favorite books. But I've never actually read that first book.

The little Anne-girl has bewitched me, just as she has so many other girls. No wonder the books are so popular. I already want to be more like her when I grow up... even though she's only eleven years old at the start! She is so quotable and optimistic! I couldn't resist grabbing a highlighter and marking up my paperback copy.

And now, for my favorite quotes so far:

"People laugh at me because I use big words. But if you have big ideas you have to use big words to express them, haven't you?"

"It's been my experience that you can nearly always enjoy things if you make up your mind firmly that you will. Of course, you must make it up firmly."

"When the Lord puts us in certain circumstances He doesn't mean for us to imagine them away." - Marilla

"Oh, what I know of myself isn't really worth telling. If you'll only let me tell you what I imagine about myself you'll think it ever so much more interesting."

"There's such a difference between saying a thing yourself and hearing other people say it. You may know a thing is so, but you can't help hoping other people don't quite think it is."

"Looking forward to things is half the pleasure of them. You mayn't get the things themselves; but nothing can prevent you from having the fun of looking forward to them."

"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."

"Isn't it nice to think that tomorrow is a new day with no mistakes in it yet?"

"You'll hardly fail completely in one day and there's plenty more days coming." - Marilla

"That seems too good to be true -- but it's something pleasant to imagine after you go to bed."

"Have you ever noticed that when people say it's their duty to tell you a certain thing you may prepare for something disagreeable? Why is it that they never seem to think it a duty to tell you the pleasant things they hear about you?"

"I'd like to add some beauty to life... I'd love to make them have a pleasanter time because of me... to have some little joy or happy thought that would never have existed if I hadn't been born."