"Everything nourishes what is strong already."

After watching "You've Got Mail" for the umpteenth time, I was finally inspired to read Pride and Prejudice just to see what the big deal was for ShopGirl. I've had moments where like Tom Hank's character, Joe Fox, I rolled my eyes and tossed it to the side yet picked it up again. But I've also come across moments when I'm in awe of the thought-provoking dialog.

One particular exchange about love and romance between Mr. Darcy and Elizabeth caught my attention. They were discussing a former suitor of Elizabeth's sister and how the relationship did not exactly blossom and withered, as it were, upon the young man's attempt to woo her with poetry albeit good poetry-

"I have been used to consider poetry as the FOOD of love", said Darcy.
"Of a fine, stout, healthy love it may. Everything nourishes what is strong already. But if it be only a slight, thin sort of inclination, I am convinced that one good sonnet will starve it entirely away." [Elizabeth]

At first I thought it was funny how cynical Elizabeth was being, but truly, she had something there. I paused on that statement -"Everything nourishes what is strong already." That's insightful for many areas of life- spiritually, financially, physically, emotionally, and in relationships- romantic or otherwise. If something isn't already strong with deep roots, even something as "harmless" as love can blow it away like chaff. However, something rooted in strength and health, although it may weeble, although it may wobble, it will not fall down. And to her point, it actually should develop deeper roots and become even stronger yet. So this evening, I'm pondering how fine, stout and healthy are the foundations of my life; lest, God forbid, something come along and starve it entirely away.

If the economic winds came and blew my job away, would my finances be able to stand up against it? If a health issue were to arise, would my trust in God's faithfulness grow stronger? If my best friend suddenly stopped answering my calls, would the definition of our friendship ultimately last? And if I answer "No", to any of those questions, it's not the wind, the sickness, or my friend's fault. It's an indication that something has cracked in the foundation- in my finances, in my faith, and in our friendship.

And maybe I'm projecting a lot onto Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy's passing conversation, but it's inspired me to consider and take stock- What are the fine, stout and healthy things in my life? And what are those thin inclinations that are in danger of a good sonnet? I will spare you the rest of this process, but maybe this will inspire a little inventory of your own! Hey, perhaps ShopGirl was onto something after all...