Who in the world has not heard of Downton Abbey and the Crawley family? I confess I only became a fan towards the middle of season two so I missed out on some of the drama and intrigue of season one. It amazes me how well the actors portray the turn of the century aristocratic family members and fortunate servants who roam the upstairs as well as the lowly downstairs staff with such conviction of their very status and worth within the castle walls.
But I think the character who intrigues me the most is Lady Edith Crawley. During the time of King George, women weren't expected to be able to hold an intelligent conversation with men about world affairs and an aristocrat such as Lady Edith certainly wouldn't have been encouraged to take up the unlady-like profession of writing for the local newspaper. But write for it she did and held to the conviction she had something worth writing about.
Writers of today need to be more like the people who live at Downton Abby, especially Lady Edith. To grab the bull by the horns and live life to the fullest. To stare danger in the eye and not back down. To hold true to the spirit of the world in which you live and never turn your back on a chance to make a lasting impression on the next generation.
And to keep on writing...even when it seems the whole world is against you...for you are the dreamer of dreams and writer of tales to carry us into the new millennium. With someone like Lady Edith Crawley leading the way, it's not a shabby act to follow.
I can't wait until season four...
