Leading Men in the Love Stories of Our Lives

I love to read. I love to read Jane Austen and Charlotte Bronte...two of my most favorites. One of my favorite books of all time is Jane Eyre. As I await springtime and try to make it through the gloomy days of January, February and many times March I try to choose books that are "Old Friends." These "old friends" bring me happiness, and help still my restless soul. I enter a world where life always ends happily, and strong people conquer all. I have been spending my reading moments this month with Jane Eyre and Mr. Rochester. Let's face it one of the reason's I love these books are the leading men. I love how all my favorite leading men are Mr.'s. Mr. Darcy(Pride and Prejudice), Mr. Rochester (Jane Eyre), Mr. Knightly (Emma), Mr. Thornton (North and South) the two exceptions would be Captain Wentworth (Persuasion) and Gilbert Blythe (Anne of Green Gables). As I read these books as a younger woman, I found myself caught up in their words and visualizing them as perfect men. As I read these books now I see that they are men with flaws. They are strong willed, and proud, often they don't know how to say things correctly the first time..hello Mr. Darcy's first proposal. They really struggle to understand the women in their lives. And they often times say and do dumb and stupid things. They also rise however to the occasions placed before them and become the men they need to be. I think this is what Real Men are. Flawed at times and yet they rise to the occasions of life. My favorite leading man of all time is my own Mr. McAllister. He is most definitely a Real Man. He is flawed. He has never written a love letter like Captain Wentworth, but he does leave me notes on the backs of receipts or on scrap pieces of paper that say , "I Love you. And hope you have a good day." Or silly pun's that make me laugh. He doesn't always remember to whisper sweet nothings to me, but he always rises to the occasions that make him a leading man in our lives. Last night Mini B. started puking in the middle of the night, really the early morning. He ran to her room and was already holding her hair before I could get there. He lovingly rubbed her back and told her everything would be okay. While I helped her clean up he cleaned her entire bed and room which were literally covered in a horrible stench of vomit. He didn't complain or go back to bed. He took on the task and came to check on her and I with positive and caring affirmations. I can't imagine even the worthy Mr. Darcy doing that. We spent most of our evening in separate parts of the house. I comforting Mini B. and he trying to get Thing 2 back to bed, since he had woken up in the commotion of the sickness. Yet I felt so close to him, so loved and so blessed to be married to my own leading man....Mr. McAllister who always rises to the occasion,to show real love. I look at the world around us and realize that their definition of love is so different than the real stuff, which is really to go above what one wants...to be in the service of someone else. Real leading men are hard to come by. As I read about Mr. Rochester again and my beloved Jane I realize how real love seldom comes packaged in the perfect package. Some time it is wrapped in plain and simple wrapping and the gem lies waiting inside for us to discover. So here is to leading men. Real men, who look their best in pajama's holding their little girl's hair while she pukes. Have a wonderful day.