Jane Austen Quote of the Week 168
This week’s quote is from Sense & Sensibility, Volume III Chapter X, Penguin Classics 2003 edition. Elinor and Marianne had returned back to the Barton Cottage after Marianne’s illness. The sisters were having a walk.
The sisters set out at a pace slow as the feebleness of Marianne in an exercise hitherto untried since her illness required; -- and they had advanced only so far beyond the house as to admit a full view of the hill, the important hill behind, when, pausing with her eyes turned towards it, Marianne calmly said,
"There, exactly there" -- pointing with one hand, "on that projecting mound, -- there I fell; and there I first saw Willoughby."
Her voice sunk with the word, but presently reviving she added --
"I am thankful to find that I can look with so little pain on the spot! -- shall we ever talk on that subject, Elinor?" -- hesitatingly it was said. -- "Or will it be wrong? -- I can talk of it now, I hope, as I ought to do."
I have been in many situations where the act of mere looking at the spot of event gave me pain. But healthy intentions to heal, coupled with sufficient time, doth the trick. As I return back to my home island, I often drove by places that were too painful for me to look at in the past. I’m very grateful that those places are now just places for me. Nothing more, nothing less. Healing takes time, but when we set our purpose and actions on that matter, healing does happen.
Picture: Willoughby carrying Marianne after the accident, by C.E. Brock (Austenprose.com)
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3 comments:
I can relate to this post all too well. Just being in the vincinity will conjure up the memories. Thank you for sharing such a beautifully written post with us.
Wow this is possibly my favourite quote that we have posted on here yet. "I am thankful to find that I can look with so little pain on the spot!" That feeling when you are reminded of a terrible memory and it does not feel as painful as it once did is so powerful and rejuvenating that you feel that you can conquer anything. I am aware that for some it can also feel that you have lost something which is a very important part of who you are but change is often good.
Thanks a lot Ladies. When we finally are able to make peace with the past, the feeling is so peaceful and liberating.
Jana, my sincere apologies that I didn't realise that you've posted a comment. We have to moderate our comment to avoid spams (believe me, there ARE people whose job is to post spams). But I have been out of town the last few days, so I was remiss in the comment moderation.
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