“I like good strong words that mean something.”
Louisa May Alcott, “Little Women”
Today, thanks in a large part to the Google Doodle (sometimes they get it right), people around the world are celebrating a literary classic—“Little Women”—and the 184th birthday of its author Louisa May Alcott.
Today, for a glorious hour or two, something other than football and/or politics was trending on Twitter and if I’m being honest, I got a little misty-eyed.
I mean look at this #LittleWomen feed is a thing of beauty: #LittleWomen
Does it highlight a slight gap in our education system? (Hint: They’re all ladies.) Just a bit…but I’m focusing on the positive (not the double standard of required reading lists for boys and girls), and that is the power of the written word.
Words can spark imagination, conversation, inspiration, motivation, and the list goes on and on. The fact that 138 years after its original publication this simple story about sisters is still inspiring readers of all ages is a true testament to that.
There are few lists of literary heroines that don’t include Jo March, and frankly shouldn’t be any. She was a character ahead of her time, created and inspired by a woman who was equally groundbreaking.
So, whether it’s “Little Women,” “Harry Potter,” “Hunger Games,” or any book of your choosing, I hope you’ve been inspired to be inspired by the written word. It’s a powerful thing.
…bi-daily smile…
