To Miss Austen, on the 200th anniversary of your beloved book...

My Dear Jane, 

Your most popular work turns 200 today; it is still going strong. That's a colloquialism that means people still love it, ardently, all these long years later. Times have changed so that you'd barely recognize the world; romance and courtship and human interaction is a far cry from what you would have been used to. 

And yet, people still find something to love at the core of a story you wrote hundreds of years ago. It's a truth universally acknowledged that draws people back to this story, time and time again, and it is more meaningful and real than any opening jokes on social status or wealth. It's a truth about love and human connection - about surrounding yourself with people who challenge you, bring out the best in you, help you grow, and always love you for exactly who you are, even when you don't think you want or need them to. 

With insight and humor and your humble pen, you struck at the core of what humans most desire in life; Lizzie, with her wit and humor, and above all, her standards, personified what we all know - that in the end, it's not about wealth or status. 

It's about staying true to yourself. 

It's about not being afraid to grow and change. 

It's about loving, and being loved.

Thank you.

~ M.

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Today is the 200th anniversary of the publication of Pride & Prejudice. To celebrate, author Alyssa Goodnight and Courtney from Stiletto Storytime have organized a  celebration hop. Click on the button below to check out the other posts to/about Jane and P&P, or join in and add your own voice to the celebration.

If you're in the mood for more Jane right now, check out my review of Austensibly Ordinary or my quirky interview with Alyssa Goodnight.