playing pilgrims

we have recently finished reading Little Pilgrim's Progress, a child's version of john bunyan's classic. it was so enjoyable and full of lessons for all of us. we picked it up because in reading Little Women we came across so many references to the classic story which, i knew, B was unfamiliar with. so, setting Little Women aside for a time, i introduced B to chrisian and his many companions and enemies along his journey. we read the first chapter of Little Women this morning and now the meaning is much more clear...

Mrs. March broke the silence that followed Jo's words, by saying in
her cheery voice, "Do you remember how you used to play Pilgrim's Progress when
you were little things? Nothing delighted you more than to have me tie my
piece-bags on your backs for burdens, give you hats and sticks, and rolls of
paper, and let you travel through the house from the cellar, which was the
City of Destruction, up, up, to the house-top, where you had all the lovely
things you could collect to make a Celestial City."

"What fun it was, especially going by the lions, fighting Apollyon, and
passing through the Valley where the hobgoblins were," said Jo.

"I liked the place where the bundles fell off and tumbled down stairs,"
said Meg.

"My favorite part was when we came out on the flat roof where our flowers
and arbors, and pretty things were, and all stood and sung for joy up there in
the sunshine," said Beth, smiling, as if that pleasant moment had come back to
her.

"I don't remember much about, except that I was afraid of the cellar and
the dark entry, and always like the cake and milk we had up at the top. If
I wasn't too old for such things, I'd rather like to play it over again," said
Amy, who began to talk of renouncing childish things at the mature age of
twelve.

"We never are too old for this, my dear, because it is a play we are
playing all the time in one way or another. Our burdens are here, our road
is before us, and the longing for goodness and happiness is the guide that leads
us through many troubles and mistakes to the peace which is a true Celestial
City. Now, my pilgrims, suppose you begin again, not in play, but in
earnest, and see how far on you can get before father comes home."

the wise words of marmee to her girls have brought a tear to my more than once while reading this to B. this is an example of how great literature can touch our hearts and shape our thoughts in a positive way. and while B is busy writing in her journal, just like jo, i am busy trying to emulate the sweet gentle spirit of marmee.

everyday gift: playing pilgrims

*ugh. trying to edit this post. blogger is messing with me again, making my font size too small to read. why does it do that??? **okay, the font size is fixed, but now the quote is spaced oddly. sigh.