Quote du jour, non-buffyverse. Sort of. (But we'll get there)

[red_satin_doll]

FYI - This may be a bit ramble-y and incoherent; I can't tell. I had my first epidural for a back injury today, so if this is a mess, blame the steroids.  I know I will.


"I think there's a mythology that if you want to change the world, you have to be sainted, like Mother Teresa or Nelson Mandela or Archbishop Tutu.  Ordinary people with lives that go up and down and around in circles can still contribute to change." -- Jody Williams (activist, Nobel Prize winner, quoted in Time Magazine, 03/25/13)



I read this today and was reminded of something either the_royal_anna or angearia wrote about Buffy, in particular S6.  I feel a bit embarrassed that I can't find the quote or remember which one of them said it.  I wouldn't confuse their writing styles when I see them set side-by-side, but their essays, musings and observations both occupy the a similar space in my mind when it comes to Buffy fandom: lyrical, deeply personal, optimistic, compassionate, perceptive and even joyous.  It's a space I need to return to when I get too caught up in the snark, irony, anger, and disatissfaction  - in fandom, in the verse, and in RL; the space that reminds me why I fell in love with the Buffyverse, and Buffy Summers, to begin with.

The observation I have in mind was how S6, and the really the show itself, was a reminded that ordinary people can achieve extraordinary things, even in the midst of great travail and despite pain and difficulties. *

And that's part of the reason why Buffy is My Hero, and why I love the Buffyverse** : Willow and Spike and Xander, Anya and Tara, Giles and Joyce and Dawn, and the rest.*** Because their mistakes do not completely define who they are, but become a part of who they are, inseparable from the moments they get it completely "right". But then again it's rarely as simple or easy as that, otherwise there would be no struggle; all we'd have to do to get from point A to point B would be to follow a handy little  roadmap. And we can define point A to point B as "childhood to maturity",  "ignorance to insight" "from morning until night",  "conflict to resolution".

That's something I need to keep reminding myself, especially when I feel particularly "small" and yes, even worthless.  When I feel as though my mistakes and failures - what I didn't achieve, who I didn't become - dominate my sense of "self". They're all I can see in and of myself, and I'm certain they're all anyone else sees.  When I forget, in the moments of doubt or self-recrimination, or hopelessness, that  there were moments that came before that, and that will come afterwards. That this too, shall pass.  Just as before, just as it always has.


* My apologies to the author herself for the incredibly clumsy and botched attempt to paraphrase an extraordinarily eloquent sentence. And forgetting who the author is to start with.

**Yes, that includes Kennedy. In fact, I'm starting to think she's genuinely awesome in her own way.

***Except for Angel and Riley. Feel sympathy for them at times?  Of course.  Love?  Nope, not feeling it.  The heart doesn't want what it doesn't want.

Comments

[velvetwhip.livejournal.com]

*many hugs*



Gabrielle

[red-satin-doll.livejournal.com]

*Tons of hugs back!*

You saw this already? You get the gold star today!

[kikimay]

This post and the quote for the win!

[red-satin-doll.livejournal.com]

Yay!

[rahirah]

Yikes, hope your back is feeling better. And rambly thoughts are often the best kind. :)

[red-satin-doll.livejournal.com]

Thanks, hon! I do think that shot is helping already but HRFS was it painful! (I injured myself back in November and I'm only now having this done but it's taken the doctors and insurance forever to approve this. You'd think I was having experimental surgery or something.)

[eilowyn.livejournal.com]

Sorry about the back . . . and great quote!

[red-satin-doll.livejournal.com]

Thanks hon - this is gonna be a fun (as in, the kind that isn't) ride. And that really is a great quote - and I very rarely quote something out of a magazine; she also talked about the organization she is part of to help stop rape and violence around the world by focusing on changing the behaviors of the perpetrators rather than shaming the victims again ("if only you hadn't..."). Which is something I can get behind.

[snowpuppies (from livejournal.com)]

**Yes, that includes Kennedy. In fact, I'm starting to think she's genuinely awesome in her own way.

*evil laugh is evil*

Also, well said, hon. :)

[red-satin-doll.livejournal.com]

**mwahahahhaha***

I was going to quote you the anonymous (to me at least) AoL judge who said it best, re: coalitiongirl's story "Just You":
Fandom doesn't like Kennedy. Fandom doesn't like second-person point of view. Well, fandom can bite my shiny, metal ass.

I then I realized that you've seen that comment already. ;) Still pretty awesome comment. And it applies to Dawn as well IMNSVHO. Dawn ROCKS. Anyone want details? I can provide.

[snowpuppies (from livejournal.com)]

Fairly familiar, since I wrote it. :)

[red-satin-doll.livejournal.com]

*snicker*

And it was VERY well said, hon.

[slaymesoftly.livejournal.com]

That's a great summation of why the Buffyverse resonates with so many people. Even the heroes have issues and make mistakes, and even the "normal" people can and do step up when they need to. But because they are all fully realized characters, fans can identify with some traits of almost everyone at one time or another. And they are mostly awesome -each in his/her own way.

[red-satin-doll.livejournal.com]

Even the heroes have issues and make mistakes, and even the "normal" people can and do step up when they need to. But because they are all fully realized characters, fans can identify with some traits of almost everyone at one time or another.

THIS, very much so. I think sometimes there is a tendency to confuse "hero/heroism" with "perfection of character & behavior", both in fiction and real-life? Getting back to the original quote, we assume heros must be larger than life, and discount everyday heroism or carry away the message that what each of us do doesn't matter?

It's a bit like the messages that "success" or "love" or "relationship" etc etc can only be achieved one way, or only look a particular way and if you're not following the "rules" you're getting it wrong and it doesn't count. (that love doesn't count if it doesn't look like the image you get in self-help books, etc.) But YMMV

[snogged.livejournal.com]

This was very well said, hun. :)

[red-satin-doll.livejournal.com]

*hugs* Thanks sweetie, I'm glad it works for you!

Saturday, March 30 - Monday, April 1

[livejournal.livejournal.com]

User rahirah referenced to your post from Saturday, March 30 - Monday, April 1 (http://su-herald.livejournal.com/645726.html) saying: [...] Quote du jour, non-Buffyverse. Sort of. (But we'll get there) [...]