Time Travel With Jane Austen

My romance with reading has come a long way from comic strips and pulp fictions to the rich world of classics and contemporary literature. I have also explored poetry and creative nonfiction, both of which provide excellent food for thought. It is my belief that words can’t flow effortlessly while writing if you are not a voracious reader.

I read somewhere that we must read sparingly but ardently. When we read with passion, we learn more than those who read a lot but don’t quite decipher much from it.

Stephen King describes reading as a form of telepathy in his book ‘On Writing’. He explained that the book he was in the process of writing would only be released after two years. So, in a way, he interacts with the future because that’s when the readers will get to read it. Similarly, when I read a book, it is a communication with the past. It is as if I am in the presence of the author who lived years or even centuries ago.

Some books are timeless. You can almost hear the author whispering words of wisdom from beyond the grave and keeping the conversation alive. I felt the same way while reading Jane Austen, the 18^th century author, on a flight to Bengaluru in January 2018.

I was reading ‘Persuasion’ by Jane Austen on my Kindle when the thought struck me. The writer lived in an era when women wore long frocks and voluminous skirts, adorned themselves with delicate hats, and resided in the quaint suburbs of England. They didn’t have the right to vote, travelled in a time before steam engines and motion pictures, and lived before the two world wars changed history. Could Austen have ever imagined that a woman of the 21st century living about 5000 miles away from England would read her book from an electronic gadget in a device that could soar humans through the sky? It is the power of writing through which a woman speaks to another woman, separated by time and space.

As I travelled above the clouds, across the blue sky, I read Jane Austen’s last finished novel. It transported me to a time when life was very different, as was the writing style and even the language to an extent. However, the message was clear. Her voice was speaking to me from another era. In the story of Anne and her second chance at love, I found glimpses of my own life. This remarkable author was inspiring me to live to the fullest, cherish every moment, and care for my family. Her message that we learn from our mistakes and we can always rectify them, reminded me to never lose hope. Most importantly, we should believe in the miracle of love because when souls are meant to be together, they will find their way back to each other.

Jane Austen taught me the importance of not chasing after what isn’t meant to be and the power of letting go. I came to realise that acceptance, rather than regret, brings healing and that forgiving myself is far more important than waiting for someone else to forgive me. It is the path to finding eternal peace and still the flickering mind.

These were the kind words of a woman who no longer felt dead to me. I felt Jane Austen was right beside me, talking to me, smiling at me, holding my hand and encouraging me to be happy and content in life. I didn’t feel alone anymore.

‘Persuasion’ was first published in 1817, the year Austen died. She was 41 years old. A woman with maturity had spoken to me and given me company while I was on my solo trip. I believe that when you have a book, you are never alone. So, travel across the seas, beyond time, and find a companion in the author. Just open a book that is never obsolete. In the words of the writer Ruskin Bond, “When it comes to living, loving and dying, there is no such thing as modern or fashionable. Because it is not time that is passing by, my friend; it is you and I.”