When a life ends, you get to learn what matters. What matters is the sum of all the everyday exchanges; the sum of all the love. Sometimes cooking the food, enjoying the company, living the simple life is all that remains. Pondering the 200th anniversary of Jane Austen’s death on 18th July, 1817, I think of the many remarkable women, some famous, some ordinary who have added to the sum of my life by showing me what matters. And of course what matters is often the simple things. And this is what make Jane Austen’s novels so important is that she is able to show this and create worlds where what matters takes prominence.
Austen's Guide to Happiness 
My Mum lived the simple wisdom of Jane. x
Thank you Shaunagh, Mum lived by Jane’s wisdom of a simple life. x Enjoy your ride in the country side. xx
On Sun, Apr 2, 2017 at 1:14 PM, Austen’s Guide to Happiness wrote:
> shaunagh61 posted: ” When a life ends, you get to learn what matters. What > matters is the sum of all the everyday exchanges; the sum of all the love. > Sometimes cooking the food, enjoying the company, living the simple life is > all that remains. Pondering the 200th anniversar” >
Yes, so true. Many of our mothers lived an authentic life despite being confined to a reduced set of options. Jane seemed to understand this and it did not diminish their importance or their intelligence. She was always quick to show equality in her characters: “I hate to hear you talk about all women as if they were fine ladies instead of rational creatures.”