“When she pulled it the silk curtain ran back on rings
and when it ran back it uncovered a picture.
It was the picture of a girl with a LAUGHING Face.”
Today I’m pulling back the curtains on last week’s Summer Night in The Secret Garden celebration to show you this girl’s laughing face. (Mine of course)
I can’t seem to wipe the grin off as I continue to think back to this magical night! Friends new and old, all came together to celebrate the book they love AND to cheer on a girl who’s chasing after a very big dream. Your texts, emails and best wishes have been a shot in the arm, filling me with the energy needed to dig deeper and write, even when life overwhelms me.
In case you missed the fun, below is a quick flip through a few pictures from the night. Thank you to my friend Lisa, who took these photos, so that I could float around on cloud 9, soaking in the goodness all around me.
OH THE STORIES
“Everything’s a story, you are a story, I am a story.”
-A Little Princess, Frances Hodgson Burnett
Ok, so the quote above is not from The Secret Garden…but the truth remains…we ALL are stories! And one of the best parts of the night for me was hearing everyone’s unique Secret Garden story.
Each story was whispered into my ear… some about life long dreams of having their own secret gardens, other of the joy of reading the book with their kids or grand kids, and a over and over I heard about the magic held inside of that garden. The magic of this story had somehow touched everyone…and it has stayed in their hearts as a refuge all these years. So many told me about how today, the book and that very special garden, was a place that they could go in their minds when the chaos of life was overwhelming them.
What a gift Frances gave us all!
My favorite stories of the night came from a sweet couple, whom I did not know prior to this event, who’s connections to The Secret Garden were quite different. The wife was a serious Secret Garden fan and an avid collector of the book’s first editions…having read it endless times as a child and adult. The husband’s story though, rocked my world.
His mother read him The Secret Garden…when he was 14…from her hospital bed…where she was dying.
Tears immediately fell from my eyes, as the mother in me deeply understood this last great act of love by his mother.
The fact that she chose to read to him THIS book, about a girl who’s parents die and her journey to find healing for herself through this abandoned garden…is such an amazing blessing with a grand message to her son about hope after tragedy. She read to him about the magic of living…as she laid dying. And through the words of FHB, she showed him that a garden, and a life can bloom again after it has been left alone in this world, seemingly abandoned. Wow, oh wow….what a gift she gave.
TELL US YOUR STORY:
Do you have a story to tell?
Do you love Frances and her Books too?
How did they move you, change you, or even rescue you?
Did her words speak to you? What did they say?
These are the stories we want to share on FHB and Me! These stories show how mere words can impact a person. We can’t wait to read them and perhaps, with your permission, share them with the rest of the FHB and Me family so they can be inspired too!
Put your stories in the comments section below, or CLICK HERE to email them directly. I can’t wait to read them! Here is one we have published before, a story by Nicole Deiker who told us about her love affair with A Little Princess. CLICK HERE TO READ: THE FIRST BOOK I EVER KISSED
AND NOW….FOR THE WINNERS
Thank you to everyone who entered our Secret Garden Sway Give-Away! And a BIG thanks to everyone who donated all the lovely things to win!
$25 Gift Certificate to The Market in Hunt
Winner: C. Eastland
Felt Bird House donated by The Market in Hunt
Winner: P. Needleman
A Small Secret Garden Book Page Necklace donated by the Etsy shop: Larking
Winner: @ProjectSinglesWinnipeg
A Medium Secret Garden Book Page Necklace donated by the Etsy shop: Larking
Winner: @bellebisouboutique
The Secret Garden quote Bracelet donated by the Etsy Shop: A Bookworm Creates
Winner: @officialharrymoon
A Little Princess “Story” Necklace donated by the Etsy Shop: A Bookworm Creates
Winner: @Molly.Feeney
A Signed Copy of The Secret Garden by 3 Generations of the Author’s Family
Winner: @PenelopeLoveDay
photo by @jojo_bookish_mojo on Instagram
Well, that’s a wrap! The party is over, but the fun has just begun…so don’t miss a thing by ENTERING YOUR EMAIL BELOW and clicking SUBMIT to receive our weekly blogs directly into your inbox!
No longer Waiting for the Party,
FHB and Especially Me