Miss Potter 

Today while the daughter was home we were browsing the onDemand free movies when I found “Miss Potter”. It is about Beatrix Potter the author/artist. Beatrix Potter holds a dear place in my heart. Growing up my granny Lill would read to me. One of her favorites was Peter Rabbit. When I was little my favorite part was when the farmer was chasing Peter thought the garden hollering, “Stop Thief !!!” However I couldn’t say ‘th’ so if came out “ Fief”. She told that story until her dementia stole that memory from her. One year when my sister and I were a little older Lill gave us each a large book Beatrix Potter containing all of her classics. Now my sweet kiddos get to experience the magical of Beatrix Potter. We read her stories still and I use all the great voices and still will yell “ Stop Thief”!! LOL Some things never change. 

 Today as I watched this movie that told about her real life and the sadness she endured and the legacy she left behind , I was so inspired. I always appreciated her talent and imagination, but I never felt this kind of connection before to her as an artist. I look back to society of her time, she was an unmarried woman blazing her own trail. Her parents disapproved of her love interest and men in business didn’t respect her. She had no idea the living she had made for herself, until she decided she wanted to forge her own life. She wanted to be her own person. Can you imagine the courage it took to live her life on her own in that day? 

Her inspiration came from the Lake District which was made up of small farms and beautiful scenery. Developers were swooping in to take advantage of those families and trying to develop it. Beatrix decided someone needed to protect this land and so she began buying up the farms. She would keep on the farmers and they would in turn work the land as they had been doing for years. 

When she passed away in 1943 at the age of 77 she left most of her land holdings to the National Trust which would protect the land from development and preserve it for generations to come. 

I feel as if I can relate on some level to Beatrix Potter. Her imagination, independence and creativity drove her toward a passion and mission. She refused to take no for an answer and she gave back in a huge way. Today we are fighting developers here in our hometown. I don’t have the money to purchase the land and create a trust but I can take her legacy and allow it to inspire me and drive me to step out in courage and faith. To create something my children and grandchildren can be proud of for generations to come. 

Have dreams and goals that have been tucked away too long for fear of failure and rejections?  It is time to stand up and face those fears and take back control of my destiny. Maybe one day my legacy will be one that will inspire future creatives to brave their fears and pursue their God given talents. Or maybe facing these fears of failure will just help me in my journey of this life, either way, it’s time to move foreword!!!! 

So I write this little blog post not as a great scholar who writes perfect English, but as a woman who has thoughts to share and a creative mind to sharpen. So, I ask for grace as I know there will be bad grammar and misspelled words, but remember, I wrote this as a challenge to grow and try, and I have now succeeded. 

**P.S. I wrote this 2 months ago and just now had the courage to share. It seems fitting right now as Spring is here and it always reminds me of Beatrix Potter’s stories!! Especially Peter Rabbit!

Happy Spring and Motivational Monday!!