The Beauty of Simplicity

Anyone who knows me know that I am in love with anything Jane Austen and, most notably, the 2005 Pride and Prejudice movie. I have seen it all the way through over 50 times, literally. That is a low estimate. The thing I love about Jane Austen is her uncanny ability to develop such complex characters and plotlines. Even her seemingly simple run of the mill love story is dripping with fresh perspective and obsevations about humanity that, while almost too simple for most cloudy-headed Americans to observe, are beautifully contemplated and articulated (in Old English, no less!). I love how wonderfully Pride and Prejudice was brought to life in the 2005 film... there is such beauty and artistry in it that is just not present in other versions, and the music! Oh, the music! What strikes me even more, and which is also the reason why I've seen the movie so many times and never get sick of it, is that each time I watch it I catch something new that I've never caught before, whether it be a look, a sound, or a feeling. This is exactly what happened the other day.

Dave and I had it on kind of in the background, and we started paying attention to the scene where Mr. Collins comes to visit and is paying all these ridiculous compliments to the Bennets (about the exquisitness of boiled potatoes and whatnot), and I love that scene because of the look on Lizzie's face as he drones on. Well anyway, after the dinner scene it cuts to a scene in the living room where the family is gathered, and Mr. Collins takes Mrs. Bennet aside and inquires about Jane. Just before this conversation happens, it shows all five girls sitting in the living room with their father, and they are all quiet, relaxed and present with each other. There was dim lighting (only candles), no television, no outward entertainment, they are literally just all in a room left with nothing to entertain but each other. I immediately thought about what a typical American family looks like nowadays when relaxing together at night: there is almost always a tv going, lots of bright lights, ipods, ipads, cell phones, laptops, etc... and I just imagined how different life was back in Jane Austen's time and how wonderful the simplicity must have been. I would love a slower life, with pastimes such as reading extensively, writing extensively, playing music, crafting, cooking, walking, talking (and I mean actually being present while doing so, not with one eye on the tv or ipod).

What strikes me is even though I have seen this scene so many times, I never realized the awesome simplcity of that moment. How would life be different for us if we tried to incorporate more simple and fully present time with our loved ones? I'd like to find out...