The Wind in the Willows

The Wind in the Willows

I loved this book.  I can't believe I had never read this book before. It reminded me of one of my favorite book series from my childhood/early teens - the Redwall series.

A few chapters in I kept remarking to Elise how much I was enjoying this book (in contrast to Alice's Adventures in Wonderland where I kept remarking how weird it was).  Elise asked what was going on and I mentioned a mole was hanging out with a water rat and they were going to find their friend Mr. Toad.  She exclaimed, "Oh, is that where Mr. Toad's Wild Ride comes from?".  I said I suppose that it is.  I have since looked it up and this story inspired part of Disney's film The Adventures of Ichabod and Mr. Toad, which in turn led to the theme park ride.

There are two story lines that run alongside another in the novel.  The primary tale is that of Mr. Toad and his gallivanting lifestyle and the second concerns other adventures of Mole and Ratty.  The tale of Mr. Toad presents the need for community, companionship and accountability also needed by followers of Christ.  Mr. Toad is wealthy by inheritance and spoils his wealth be giving into the pleasures of the world.  We too are wealthy through our inheritance in Christ but also get sucked into the pleasures of the world and so diminish the capacity to which we can live our lives.  Mr. Toads friends, namely Badger, Mole and Ratty, come alongside Mr. Toad and call him back from his prodigal lifestyle.  They appeal to him that he must live up to the inheritance he has been given.  The steadfastness and loyalty of these three friends to Mr. Toad exhibit the character I value in friendship; they hold him accountable, correct him when he is wrong and remain unabashedly loyal to him.

One of the side story's provides the name of the novel.  Ratty hears voices coming from the wind moving through the willows and dictates these words to Mole.  These lyrics allude to one who watches over the animals and protects them.  Just prior to Ratty's recitation they had met this "great healer and helper".  They enter into his presence in a sort of trance and were mystified, terrified and in awe.  The true beauty came following their encounter, when they were blessed to be able to forget.

     As they stared blankly in dumb misery deepening as they slowly realised all they had seen and all       
     they had lost, a capricious little breeze, dancing up from the surface of the water, tossed the 
     aspens, shook the dewy roses and blew lightly and caressingly in their faces; and with its soft 
     touch came instant oblivion. For this is the last best gift that the kindly demi-god is careful to 
     bestow on those to whom he has revealed himself in their helping: the gift of forgetfulness. Lest 
     the awful remembrance should remain and grow, and overshadow mirth and pleasure, and the 
     great haunting memory should spoil all the after-lives of little animals helped out of difficulties, in 
     order that they should be happy and lighthearted as before.

So often we express a desire to physically see God, but in our brokenness we could not stand his presence.  God grants us the gift of protection by veiling his perfection from us that we would not be unmade in the presence of the light.