Melissa’s Cozy Teacup

Once I visit, I never want to leave. I first ‘visited’ Cranford through a PBS viewing a few months ago. I immediately fell in love with these strong, flawed women who loved each other and came together for each other and their community. I laughed, I cried, I wanted more. I looked up the title on my local library’s website and put a hold on it so I could check it out. My queue number was in the 300’s. No kidding. I waited, and waited, and finally it was my turn. Into my home came all the wonderful ladies of Cranford, their hopes, dreams disappointments, failures, their humanity and their charity of heart. I could go on and on about this film, in fact, I think I will.

I love how love abounds in this film no matter the age of the person. From 20 to 60+, people are falling in love all over the place. In the midst of romance is everyday life full of the mundane; cleaning, reading, sewing, interlaced with tragedies; deaths, illness, disappointments. Isn’t that just how it is everywhere? That’s one of the things I love about Cranford, we get a glimpse of ordinary people living life as it comes at them, don’t we all? Cranford is so much more realistic to me than say, a bunch of ultra-thin women with fake breasts running around in skimpy outfits cheating on their husbands with no remorse or moral compass to be found.

If you want to laugh and cry and feel good about women stepping up and doing what they do best, even when they aren’t always at their best, I highly recommend this movie. It is one of those you’ll watch again and again. Hmmm, maybe it should be come a holiday tradition?

Why not get together with your friends or make some new ones?