Burning Bright

I just finished Burning Bright today at the Chinese doctor's office. It's written by Tracy Chevalier, the same author that brought us Girl With a Pearl Earring (which, sadly, I didn't know was a book before it was the movie I most liked Scarlett Johannson in). I'd give it a 3.5 out of 5. It felt at times like it was written for children. Perhaps since it was written about the 1700's, a time when England was fearing for it's sovereignty because of the French (I got this from the book, don't think I know what I'm talking about), it is dumbed down to help people like me who know nothing about history. Perhaps. It was supposed to be about Robert Blake as well, another historical figure (though he was a poet) I know nothing about. Anyway, despite the fact that it was hard for me to get into at times because of the simplistic language, it was a pretty good read. The parts that included Blake as a character were the best. Quotes inspired by his comments or those actually spoken by him got me...

" 'What's funny about opposites be that wet and dry both has water, boy and girl be about people, Heaven and Hell be the places you go when you die. They all has something in common. So they ain't completely different from each other the way people think. Having the one don't mean t'other be gone.' Jem felt his head ache with the effort of explaining this."

"Mr. Blake smiled. "Yes, my boy; yes, my girl. The tension between contraries is what makes us ourselves. We have not just one, but the other too, mixing and clashing and sparking inside us. Not just light, but dark. Not just at peace, but at war. Not just innocent, but experienced.' "

The theme of innocence versus experience was a common one found in the book (don't I sound like I'm writing a book report?). I guess this is relevant to my life here in Korea. Most of my friends are younger than me, and though the age difference isn't that vast, the life experience seems to be the difference I notice most. When I reflect on what they've given me though-- honesty, patience, humour, charm, and fun-- why does it matter how old they are or whether they've had Ghosts in their past as well? Truth is, it doesn't matter.

Our friend has a daughter. She's our baby because...well, she just is. I feel horrible because she won't know me when I get back, hardly knew me when I left because it had been so long since I'd seen her. My friend is a year younger than me, but if we were to compare what we've been through, she's light years ahead of me in her experiences. Yet, she loves me and we offer things to each other that others just can't. I don't think she ever once said to herself, "geesh, Alexis is so much younger than me." We're just friends.

That's my epiphany today: experience and innocence really don't matter all that much. It's all what you bring to the table: love, humour, patience, and, if you're lucky, a bottle of wine ;)