Day 4: Amelia Earhart

Amelia Earhart managed to accomplish almost everything she set out to do. From building a roller coaster as a child, to being a nurse, to designing clothes, writing books, and becoming a pilot. She took Eleanor Roosevelt for a flight and had a runway built on a island for her to use. Then there is the ongoing mystery of what happened to Amelia and her navigator.

From kid's books to current biographies I still find myself fascinated by Amelia and the life that she lead. I can't decide how I feel about the recent tests on remains found in the Pacific. While I would love to know that somehow she managed to survive, and carve out a life for herself on some small island. Another part of me would miss the mystery behind her last flight.

Day 3: Mary Lennox

I loved Mary Lennox in The Secret Garden*. It is one of my most reread books, I also had several movie versions of it growing up. Although I never got to see it on Broadway I have the cast album and can still belt out all of the songs. There was just something about Mary that I really admired. She talked of magic and she had it as well. She took in her world and turned it around with just her inner strength. Her magic. Really isn't that all we can all ask for at times? The ability to make a bit of magic in a world where it can't always be found?

*I picked the kindle version to link to because that was the illustration of Mary on my first copy of The Secret Garden

Day 2: Sally Ride

Growing up I was a fascinated by space. I remember watching Star Trek:TNG with my dad and just being captivated by the thought of living in a space ship. Other favorites like Star Wars, Flight of the Navigator and repeats of Lost in Space only helped feed my imagination about what it must be like.

I don't remember when Sally Ride first went into space however I do remember reading children's books about her. For a while I wanted to follow in her footsteps. Well until I became more acquainted with math and science and realized that we weren't going to be the best of friends.

Still she inspired me and continues to do so. She entered what up until then had been a man's world and took it on. Succeeding at what she wanted to do. While I am never going to be an astronaut I still look to Sally as an example of what anyone can do once they put their mind to it.

Day 1: Anne of Green Gables

Anne Shirley has been life for as long as I can remember. Long before I was able to read the books I had seen the movie on PBS multiple times. I loved the adventures she got in from dying her hair green to falling off a roof and her desire to sleep in a spare room.

Anne's ability to take an ordinary or boring situation and use her imagination was very helpful to me growing up. Whenever I was feeling particularly awkward or out of place I would remember that it wasn't going to be like that forever. That all I had to do was change the way I looked at the situation and often that helped.

The Sullivan's Anne also helped me develop a love of poetry. Before I had read the full poem I had memorized the stanza that Anne recites in the movie. The only reason I never tried to recreate Anne's boat ride is because there were no boats in the pond near where I grew up.

Another impact Anne had on my life is in the friendships that I have made. My friends really are kindred spirits to me. I have been very lucky in my life to have found the people I surround myself with.

Books can give me all sorts of ideas

I recently finished reading The Heroine's Bookshelf by Erin Blakemore. I thought it was a really interesting take on the books I had read growing up and what we can learn by rereading them. I had some knowledge of all but one of the books she the author wrote about and for the most part I agree with the lessons Blakemore feels each one offers.

So because of this book and because March is Women's history month for the next 30 days I am going to post about women who I have caught my interest and helped to shape my world view.