One of my favorite parts of summer is the carefree feeling that comes with the warmer weather. The smell of the cherry blossoms or jasmine flowers in the wind combined with handing in that last paper or exam means literally feeling a weight lifting off my shoulders. A small summer project of mine has always been re-reading favorite childhood classics, such as "The Secret Garden," "A Little Princess," "Alice in Wonderland," and more. This summer, I'm planning on diving back into "Peter Pan" — there's nothing I love more than a good retelling of J.M. Barrie's classic, so reacquainting myself with the original thing is probably a good idea.
Youth and time (or perhaps a lack thereof) are two huge themes in Barrie's story, and I think they go well with summer. Here are some of my favorite quotes from my favorite fairy tale that remind me of all the things I love about summer:
1. "All the world is made of faith, trust, and pixie dust."
2. “The moment you doubt whether you can fly, you cease for ever to be able to do it.” (This one has such a deep, philosophical life meaning to it as well).
3. “Never say goodbye because goodbye means going away and going away means forgetting.” (Particularly applicable for any graduating seniors).
4. “Wendy," Peter Pan continued in a voice that no woman has ever yet been able to resist, "Wendy, one girl is more use than twenty boys.”
5. “Stars are beautiful, but they may not take part in anything, they must just look on forever.”
6. “If you cannot teach me to fly, teach me to sing.”
7. "Pan, who and what art thou?" he cried huskily.
"I'm youth, I'm joy," Peter answered at a venture, "I'm a little bird that has broken out of the egg.”
8. “I suppose it's like the ticking crocodile, isn't it? Time is chasing after all of us.”
9. “You know that place between sleep and awake, that place where you still remember dreaming? That’s where I’ll always love you. That’s where I’ll be waiting.”
10. “It is not in doing what you like, but in liking what you do that is the secret of happiness.”
11. “Do you know," Peter asked, "why swallows build in the eaves of houses? It is to listen to the stories.”
In some ways, "Peter Pan" is one of the most beautiful tales I've ever read. Of course, in others, it's deeply problematic. And in yet another way, it's one of the most heartbreaking stories as well.
