Skeeter

Hey Team,

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So I know I'm usually three years late on most everything. Fashion, Books, Trends etc, but I've accepted my fate. But thanks to my favorite app OverDrive, I recently listened to The Help Audiobook. Octavia Spencer even read her character Minnie. It was so wonderful. I knew the movie was great, but I really loved listening to it. The story just came alive, and the part that struck me the most wasn't what I expected. Civil Rights in the 60's were some of the most dramatic events America has ever seen. I'm not trying to brush them aside. What hit me the most was how terribly the white women treated each other. Hilly Hollbrook seemed to run the town with a snap of her finger, and it made me crazy. We aren't supposed to like her character obviously, but the measures she took to stay in control, spread gossip and fire maids were almost sickening.

To clarify, I'm not saying I've always treated everyone perfectly and been the kindest person in all situations. That's one of the worst regrets I carry with me. I think back and want to have a re-do, or have a rewind button for many times in my life. But since I am in the here and now, I hope to improve, and be able to not have quite as many regrets, especially in the way I treat others.

The most heartbreaking part is the huge party where Miss Celia shows up in her big, pink, cleavage dress, and all Hilly can do the whole night is avoid her and then finally treat her like dirt when the whole situation explodes, literally. Would Hilly have treated her differently if she knew about all of the miscarriages Celia went through? Probably not, but I always wonder if I always had the whole story, and how much my behavior would change towards others.

The best part of the book is Skeeters evolution. Like me, she starts out naive and clueless to others needs or situations, but eventually starts really seeing Jackson for what it really is. I love how she has to learn the hard way what who she once called friends were very capable of. I usually learn everything the hard way.

Here's to being a little more like Skeeter,

Jana