Three Day Quote Challenge: Day 3

"I made it the mantra of those days; when I paused before yet another series of switchbacks or skidded down knee-jarring slopes, when patches of flesh peeled off my feel along with my socks, when I lay alone and lonely in my tent at night I asked, often out loud: Who is tougher than me?

The answer was always the same, and even when I knew absolutely there was no way on this earth that it was true, I said it anyway: No one. "
~Cheryl Strayed, Wild:From Lost to Found on the Pacific Crest Trail

I loved this book so much. It fascinated me when I read what it was about...how this amazing woman went through a difficult time in her life (the loss of her mother) and decided to hike the whole Pacific Crest Trail - BY HERSELF.  That just boggled my mind. How could someone be that strong and brave. She was not a hiker or someone who ever did those things, yet she decided to tackle hiking a trail that was over 2,600 miles along the whole west coast: from Mexico all the way up to Canada.  And do it alone. 

When I started reading it I also found it interesting that she was somewhat from my local area, just a little distance away. And places she mentioned at the beginning of the book were basically in my backyard. So this true story was about someone that was practically a neighbor. And I just loved Cheryl's writing.  She could say things so beautifully, sometimes so graphically, that it went straight to my heart. I know they made  movie with Rees Witherspoon, but I have yet to see it, but I plan to in the future.

Out of all this amazing writing I chose this quote as it really spoke to me in relation to my own life. I have definitely had moments of self talk like this when I have moments of adversity. I know I shared about my Annie's birth story, and how it was related to trauma I went through having my son Aaron (you can read it here.) I almost died giving birth to my son (several times) and the trauma from it has permanently affected me. I have had horrible panic attacks in my life and have had to be on meds for it in the past. But I am a person that, by nature, is more stoic about these things and I don't like to seem like I have problems or need help. I would feel on the inside like my heart is beating so fast and hard it will take off any minute right out of my chest, but on the outside I'll be nodding and smiling and talking to whomever is in front of me and they never knew what was going on underneath. It was so awful when it was bad. It has been so much better and I have other mechanisms for coping...but I can still to this day have a panic attack sneak up on me and no one would ever know it because I hide it so well on the inside. And a lot is through self talk reminding myself how tough and strong I am....so much like this quote. 

Three Day Quote Challenge: Day 2

"It isn't possible to love and part. You will wish that it was. You can transmute love, ignore it, muddle it, but you can never pull it out of you. I know by experience that the poets are right: love is eternal." ~ E.M. Forester, A Room with a View

Okay. I just need to be a pure romantic for a minute and use this quote for my challenge today. I absolutely love E.M. Forester works. Howards End, A Passage to India, and A Room with a View to name a few.  A Room with a View is an absolute favorite and the movie based on the novel is one of my favorite movies of all time! It's a pretty dated movie now (1985) -but packed with celebrity power: Maggie Smith, Judi Dench, Helena Bonham Carter, Daniel Day Lewis to name a few.

I love the main character, Lucy Honeychurch, who is confined by the decorum of the age to behave a certain way...but underneath there's such a passion that she hides. Until a true love (not her finace - gasp), brings it out of her and she can't deny who she is any longer. 

 I absolutely fell in love with Italy because of this movie. And finally in 1999 I had the opportunity to realize my dream to travel in Europe when I went on a trip with my Aunt (much like Lucy). I told my Aunt my main request, of all of our planned destinations, (we visited 5 countries) was to go to Florence in Italy and stay on the Arno with a view....which we did. I was already married to my hubby at the time - but it was a very "romantic" trip nonetheless as I fell even more in love with Italy. It was an absolute dream come true!

Three Day Quote Challenge: Day One

I have been nominated by my dear friend Carrie Ann from the blog Anniehow to do a 3 day quote challenge, where you share a quote for three consecutive days. More rule details below. Thank you Carrie! (P.S. Love your name!) Lol

Here's my quote:

"Kindred spirits are not so scarce as I used to think. It's splendid to find out there are so many of them in the world. "

~L.M. Montgomery, Anne of Green Gables

I think I'll be sharing quotes from some favorite books. I grew up reading the Anne of Green Gables series of books and they still remain close to my heart.  I love the beautiful way Anne sees the world and the wonderful writing by L.M. Montgomery. There are so many wonderful quotes I could have taken from many of the books, but I always especially loved Anne's view on kindred spirits. I feel I'm blessed with many of them in my life through dear friends I have grown up with, and current friends today. But I feel that way so much about you - my fellow blogger friends that I'm able to connect with almost daily. I'm so glad that I found you and I'm blessed to have you! 

Three day quote challenge rules:

• Thank the blogger, who nominated you.

• Publish 3 quotes on 3 consecutive days in your blog. It can be your own, or from a book, movie or from anyone who inspires you.

• Nominate 3 more bloggers to carry on this endeavour.

I nominate:

*Billie Jo @Afternoon Coffee and Evening Tea

*Judy @Cranberry Morning

*Jill @Blessings of a Stay at Home Mom

**Addendum: also there is no time limit