Love from the Little House.
Every Autumn I turn my thoughts back to being a small girl around ten, and the adventures of exploring the woods with friends as the leaves blanket the ground in yellow, red, and orange. There is something magic about childhood and fall mixed up together as though they both seem to say, "this time or season in life is fleeting, soak it in." I look at my children now and see the same kind of excitement when we go to a pumpkin patch, rake up leaves, or enjoy an autumn bonfire.
My daughter has recently spent time reading the books, and watching the TV show about Laura Ingalls Wilder's "Little House on the Prairie." There is a wealth of good old-fashioned lessons in each of these that certainly apply to life today. Michael Landon did an amazing job of showing us who Laura and her family were. He portrays himself as her Pa, and comes across as a voice of reason and integrity. I know when she watches one of these shows, that there will be something to learn, and she absolutely loves them. We recently did a little photo shoot for fun, with a sweet friend who is also a "Little House on The Prairie" fan. The girls looked the part, one Laura, one Nelly, and we even managed to get an Albert in there for some pictures. Things we can gather from the books and the TV show are timeless truths today:
Be resilient: Despite anything that life handed him, Pa fought back with a deep sense of resiliency. That doesn't mean you don't get knocked down, but rather find a way to keep going. It takes fortitude to look a bleak situation in the eye, and find strength to make the best of it.
Community: Resiliency and community go hand in hand, because sometimes you have to reach out for help. When things on the Little House became challenging, often the community of Walnut Grove held a meeting to talk about the issues that they faced and to come up with a solution that worked in most part for everyone. Community fosters a sense of belonging, pride, and the stronger your contributions to your community, the more it will also serve you.
Your word is your word: Your word is your word, in short, it is your integrity. The fastest way to prove or disapprove who you are is to not follow through with something you have said. It is the non-verbal equivalent of a good old hand shake. Mr. Ingalls was a person of his word, and would remind his girls that you keep your promises and if you had a job to do, stick with it until it's done and then no one can say you don't work hard.
Plan for the future: Pioneer days held much more unpredictable times, considering most folks had to farm to live. The unpredictable elements of weather and crops, made planning for the future the most important thing to do. It is possible that you may plan for things, and be successful at your endeavors. Paw taught his family though, that you have to plan for unexpected things in life, and when you do so, it will lighten the load.
Friendship: If there is one thing that is important in life, it is to have a good set of friends. The rivalry of Laura and Nelly was a central theme on Little House. We all know people who are disagreeable, as was Nelly and often her mother. You have to appreciate these kinds of folks too, because they teach you about how you don't want to act, and what to look for in a good friend. Friendship can help you grow into a better person. Even Laura and Nelly grew to be friends in later years.
Slow down: Slow down, enough said right. We can hardly take the time anymore to slow down. With so many activities, it is easy to miss the moment in the rush of things. Set aside time to just do things at a slower and calmer pace, which will give you a better sense of feeling grounded.
Love out values things: "Little House on The Prairie" was about love of family, above all else. We work and live to provide and make a life for our family. There are no material things on this Earth that can take the place of people. Family can be made up of friends and whoever you decide to love. The resounding theme of Michael Landon's work for me is this simple truth, that love out values things.
So, enjoy our little throw back to Laura Ingalls Wilder, and if you enjoy our work then we so love new fans on our Facebook page here: https://www.facebook.com/Simple-Grace-photography-53274517062/
And for any of you interested in ordering the Little House on The Prairie series, you can do that thru the wonderful Dean Butler, who played Almanzo Wilder on the Television series. You can order here:http://stores.ebay.com/callmemanly/
All work is copyright protected, and under the ownership of Danielle Pousette.