Benjamin Black

@Dynastus

17 Tweets • 2023-05-17 •  See on

rattibha.com 

I recently read through The Secret Garden with my

daughter.

The ending moved me in a way I didn't expect.

Here's why every father should read this to his kids :

Contentedness:

The Sowerby's are a poor family on 'The Moor'.

They live 12 to a small cottage and survive on sixteen

shillings a week.

Yet all of the Sowerbys are content in their lot and

even more generous.

A lot can be learned from this humble family and their

Matriarch.

Empathy:

Dickon is a character who 'talks' to animals.

He, of course, doesn't literally talk to them.

But through the empathy he expresses to animals and

people..

He is loved by both.
Cooperation:

Mary learns more from her 6 months at Misselthwaite

than in the previous 9 being waited upon in India.

Dickon keeps a garden he lovingly tends to supply his

family with food.

More is achieved through cooperation than anybody

could alone.

Wonder:

There is a sense of wonder and mystery about the

secret garden.

While the book might sound like it would be like

reading about watching grass grow.

There is so much to glean from the wonders of a

hidden world, and the bonds between friends.
More Than Meets The Eye:

The characters in the book develop in the most

interesting of ways as the book progresses.

It teaches your children there's more to people than

you'd first expect.

And that some people put up barriers to shut off the

hurt the world brings.
Truth in Framing:

A running theme in the book is that your thoughts and

language affect you.

Fill your head with negative and unhealthy thoughts

and see those shape your reality.

Change your thoughts, change your life.

This book exemplifies that.

Harsh Reality:

The beginning of the book opens with a tragic

outbreak of cholera in a British compound in India.

The narrative also doesn't shy away from telling things

like they are.

No sugar coating.

No gentle wording.

Just a reality to absorb.

Past & Present:

The Book is set in the early 1900s

Language and setting don't hide the realities of

perceptions of the period.

Despite the fact it is set and written >100 years ago..

It is fascinating how the novel and its lessons are still

applicable today.
Harm of Outsourced Parenting:

Mary was not a wanted child.

Her mother wanted her out of sight and mind.

Mary didn't even know her parents at all apart from by

sight.

She had servants care for her every want and need.

This turned Mary into a sour-faced, nasty little girl.

When cholera broke out, nobody checked up on or
came to help Mary.

Leaving her to fend for herself for days.

What's more she felt nothing for the death of her

parents.

So repressed she didn't shed a tear for them.

A harsh reminder of the reality of outsourced

parenting.
Comradery:

Both Mary and her cousin Colin find health and vitality
in their friendship.

Dickon and his positive, selfless attitude bring

immense recovery to two neglected children in
desperate need of companionship.

A lesson in the importance of childhood bonds

between family.
Heritage:

Misselthwaite Manor is the setting where most of the

book takes place.

It has been in the Craven line for hundreds of years.

It is a treasure trove of their history.

And a reminder to you as to what you can create for

your family in the years ahead.
That Ending:

I wasn't expecting to be hit so hard by the ending of

the book.

I read to my kids with voices and passion.

And in doing so we became attached to the

characters.

Feeling what they felt at the end had her hugging me

for support.

I won't spoil it for you.

The version I read was one with illustrations by Inga

Moore.

Her lovingly crafted portrayals of scenes and

representations of characters through animal sketches
kept my daughter engaged throughout the story.
I can't recommend this book enough. It instills valuable
lessons in a deep, but easy-to-follow narrative.

A timeless, must-read classic.

Here is an Amazon link for you to get a copy for your

family:

https://amzn.to/3nXc75X

Thanks for reading.

Want more content to build your legacy?

1. Retweet the first tweet

2. Follow @Dynastus and forge your family

Yours,
Ben Black

PS I may receive a small commission for your

purchase from Amazon to help support my work.
Thank you.
These pages were created and arranged by Rattibha
services (https://www.rattibha.com)
The contents of these pages, including all images,
videos, attachments and external links published
(collectively referred to as "this publication"),
were created at the request of a user (s) from X.
Rattibha provides an automated service, without human
intervention, to copy the contents of tweets from X
and publish them in an article style, and create PDF
pages that can be printed and shared, at the request
of X user (s). Please note that the views and all
contents in this publication are those of the author
and do not necessarily represent the views of
Rattibha. Rattibha assumes no responsibility for any
damage or breaches of any law resulting from the
contents of this publication.