Jane Austen Quote of the week 227

I have used this quote before back in August 2008 but I thought it was particularly apt this special weekend of Easter.
From chapter 20 of Persuasion Anne is describing her experience of visiting Lyme which is also rather suitable because I am travelling near there this weekend.

The last few hours were certainly very painful," replied Anne; "but when pain is over, the remembrance of it often becomes a pleasure. One does not love a place the less for having suffered in it, unless it has been all suffering, nothing but suffering, which was by no means the case at Lyme. We were only in anxiety and distress during the last two hours, and previously there had been a great deal of enjoyment. So much novelty and beauty! I have travelled so little, that every fresh place would be interesting to me; but there is real beauty at Lyme; and in short," with a faint blush at some recollections, "altogether my impressions of the place are very agreeable."

I was with friends this evening and we were talking about places we havent liked being during our lives. I lived somewhere for three years and I really did not enjoy my time there, I could consider my reaction to it at the time as suffering. But ultimately we can learn alot when we are suffering and I think that is why this quote stands out for me, when we are able to get through the difficult time and survive, that suffering can turn into an enormous sense of achievement and often generate quite a connection with the place in which we endured such negative feelings. 

Anyway Easter is a time for remembering how lucky we are and I wish you all a Happy Easter and an enjoyable weekend with your loved ones. 

Pic: Anne Elliot Lyme Regis