WHAT HAS ENID BLYTON MEANT TO ME

 ENID BLYTON GAVE ME A FAMILY

All the characters in her books that I loved, became my family.. I laughed and cried with them, worried and felt guilty with them, and eventually grew up alongside them. 

I saw how they helped each other through crisis, and learnt how valuable families could be. 

SHE POINTED TO QUALITIES THAT COULD SEE ME THROUGH LIFE

Her characters learnt the value of patience. diligence. Keeping their temper in check. Being kind. Life taught them these lessons, not lectures. I learnt them too. 

Some of the characters were vain, headstrong or cruel, and were not well liked. I learnt to check my own behaviour too. 

LIFE WASNT A FAIRY TALE

Life wasnt the same always.. there were ups and downs, adversities and joys, comings and goings.. She taught me to accept all with equanimity.. that this was the nature of life..

BEING INDUSTRIOUS

The children were industrious.. always upto something that was productive.. the homeless ones made themselves a makeshift home.. the hungry organized food..  they helped their parents make ends meet when times were tough... they ran around trying to discover what was behind a mystery..

All this taught me the fun of work and how one could be one with it. 

OBSERVING NATURE

The biggest contribution made by Enid Blyton to me was to introduce nature.. to a girl brought up in little houses with no gardens, she taught me the beauty of blue skies.. white clouds.. huge welcoming trees, climbing creepers, and the scents of a garden... 

I WAS NOT LEFT WANTING

Because I had these virtual or families in my mind, I did not feel wanting, or deprived.. I had the confidence to follow my instinct.. I did not need to participate in things that did not interest me, just to belong.. I felt there must be people like me somewhere in the world, if not immediately around me... 

SHE GAVE DIRECTION TO MY LIFE

I think she gave direction to my life.. to focus on what was really valuable.. curiousity, industriousness, to be with nature, and to do what interested me.. I did not even interact with stereotypes of what would be expected of girls of my age and era.. 

Not all the heroic characters in her books excelled at studies, or were first in sports.. or were rich.. but they were good human beings, who looked out for others... So I did not feel the need to follow a template set by someone else for me.. I could follow my own calling.. 

What more could a parent have done for a child ?

Which is why I have always say : Enid Blyton raised me.