Life Lesson from a Movie

One of my favorite books is North & South by Elizabeth Gaskell. It includes struggle between two characters, two different classes, two different worlds basically, and those struggles are only resolved through the compromise and change of the characters in the story. The problems don't just magically go away in a happily ever after, they stick around and compount until the people involved focus on reason and communication and do something about it.
My mom and I sat down to watch the movie version -which is just as wonderful as the book. This is only, oh, the 6th time that I've watched the four hour mini-series in the last 2 1/2 years. It's that good. The great thing about it, whether I'm reading the book or watching the movie, is that it's still just as good or better every time I experience the story. Last night as I watched the main character, Margaret, step into the dank, industrial town of Milton at the beginning of the movie, I felt excited because I could just taste the possibilities. You see, I know the plot. I know the experiences and changes that will happen to Margaret through the course of the story - I should after having seen it so many times. But . . . she doesn't know. She has no idea how her life will be turned upside down. She doesn't know that John Thornton even exists, and she definitely doesn't know he'll fall in love with her. She's not prepared for the sorrow she's going to face. She doesn't know where her happiness will come from, or if it will come at all. She doesn't know. I know though. So every time her story begins, I'm reminded that as much as I like the character of Margaret in the beginning, I love the Margaret at the end of the story much better after she has gone through tough decisions, mistakes, misunderstandings, sadness, growth, happiness, love, and change.
I tend to imagine myself as the early version of Margaret. I'm heading away from home again, just as she did. It's a little nerve-wracking, I'm a little apprehensive, I don't know what's coming next, and part of me just wants to stay home. I will most likely make mistakes, and experience misunderstandings, tough decisions, and -who knows?- maybe some sorrow. But you know, there is the chance of some happiness, growth, and maybe even love, depending on the choices that I make. That's the beauty of possibility. I can choose to stay the same, or I can choose to allow myself to change. When I come to the end of the next section of my life, I want to be different. I want to be more like the final Margaret. I want to have grown because of the things that God's put into my life. How exciting is that?! Hallelujah for possibility and change!
I love North & South. I guess that's why my parents bought me the book for Christmas. *fist pump* Now I want to go read it . . . again.

m(r)