The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe.

I love anything by C.S. Lewis. 

I have devoured his works since second grade in Miss Sartori's class. 

She was well known for her ability to light a spark in children and helping them find a love of books, this is a blessing I will always cherish.
Through Miss Sartori I found Narnia

I first went to Narnia in that classroom with dear friends I've had for nearly a lifetime now, 
next to the class pet snake in all her scaly-ness, 
right on the playground in a trailer that served as my favorite classroom ever.

As I've grown I've come to love other works by Lewis
but Narnia will always have a tender place in my heart,
for that is what started it all--
my love of reading and a conversion to a gospel I felt I had always known, 
thanks in part to Lewis. 

I frequently listen to the series on tape as I'm falling asleep or while I'm at my sewing machine and I'm currently listening to The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe. 

My heart always breaks for Edmund when he's in the witch's clutches 

and he sees the mistakes he's made, how horrid she is,

 and how horrid he has been to those he loves. 

I want to run into the beginning of the book before anything happens and stop Ed from ever talking to the witch when he first enters Narnia 
because I know the pain he soon will feel when he realizes the poison she's leeched into his mind,
and what Aslan will go through to make things right again. 

I don't want Edmund to hurt and I even though he does rise again I don't want Aslan to have to die in order to resolve Edmund's mistakes--
even though I do realize that is the whole point of the story, so that Aslan can over come the power of death. 

Each time I read this book I have to stop for a moment and ponder how beautiful it is that we can make our own choices--
we are free to make mistakes and choose to come back. 

Aslan was there not just for the Pevensie children who were good,
but especially for the one who needed help. 

We all deserve that type of character development.