Whispers Along the Water’s Edge
“The Mole had been working very hard all the morning, spring-cleaning his little home.” With these word, we enter a very special world called the Riverbank, created by Kenneth Grahame.
We are introduced to Mole, a tender-hearted optimist, whose big heart often gets the better of him; Ratty, a good-hearted and sensible water-rat, who looks after his friend Mole; Mr. Badger whose gruff exterior is not as thick as it seems; and, of course, the incorrigible Mr. Toad. In a series of exciting adventures, we follow the inhabitants of Riverbank and learn a bit about ourselves along the way.
The Wind in the Willows is not just for children!
We can appreciate Grahame’s longing for a place untouched by smog and industrial fumes. Born in 1859, Grahame left Scotland at a young age and spent most of his life in England. Enchanted by the countryside, he wanted to preserve some of the wild beauty and country traditions he observed. Don’t we all crave fresh air, wildflowers, and warm sunshine this time of year?
Does restlessness ever strike you? Mole shared a similar experience, but his wanderings led him to the Wild Wood: a place no one should enter without a guide. Mole should have listened to Ratty, yet he simply couldn’t wait any longer to meet the elusive Mr. Badger. Perhaps waiting is more prudent than striking out on one’s own after all.
Toad—brilliant, fun-loving creature that he is—learns most of life’s lessons the hard way; however, Grahame shows Toad’s friends supporting him and telling him the truth. The Riverbankers triumph over the “Wild Wooders” and Toad Hall is restored to its rightful owner. Harmony returns to the Riverbank.
Isn’t harmony something we all seek? Good literature helps us understand those longings for
home and stability—men and women, boys and girls, we all need stories. Like Mole learned,
we cannot hide away from the world or our issues; video games, Instagram ®, and binge watching will only amuse us for a little while.
Ratty, enchanted with tales of sailing around the world, almost left the Riverbank for the great unknown—if not for his friend Mole, he might have left everyone behind. Adventures abound, disguised in the trappings of everyday!
Joy comes by doing right and abiding in Christ’s unfailing love, not by dodging responsibilities! Whatever our age, we all have God-given duties and tasks. As we see on the Riverbank, everyone has a role to play, a place to fill in the world. But knowing your place and getting in a rut are two entirely different things!
So take your family out into nature, armed with a picnic lunch and blankets! Talk of joys and lessons learned; share hopes and dreams for the future and what God is teaching you. You’ll be surprised at what you learn along the water’s edge of your life. 🙂
“As he hurried along, eagerly anticipating the moment when he would be at home again among the things he knew and liked, the Mole saw clearly that he was an animal of tilled fields and hedgerows, linked to the ploughed furrow, the frequented pasture, the lane of evening lingerings, the cultivated garden-plot. For other the asperities, the stubborn endurance, or the clash of actual conflict, that went with Nature in the rough; he must be wise, must keep to the pleasant places in which his lines were laid and which held adventure enough, in their way, to last a lifetime.”
Rachel Ann Rogish is a freelance writer, excited to give back to quality home education and promoting a creative-ministry life-style. When she is isn’t writing, you can find her learning the domestic arts, reading a good book, exploring nature, and reporting for the Cape May County Herald Newspaper.
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