The Ogress and the Orphans by Kelly Barnhill

What is a neighbor?

This is the central question we are asked to explore in the beautiful book, The Ogress and the Orphans by Kelly Barnhill.

I was completely captivated by this delightfully told tale of a town called Stone-in-the-Glen, its townspeople, the orphans and their caretakers, some crows and some sheep, a blind dog, an ancient stone, the Library and its magical books, the dragon, and of course, the Ogress.

Stone-in-the-Glen was a lovely place to live at one time, we are told. People were loving and kind and helped each other. They often spent time together, enjoying each other’s company, simply talking, chatting, and discussing many things. The Library was the pride and joy of the whole town. In fact, all the roads led to the Library.

“It was said that the Library housed the heart of the town. And the mind of the town. It had stately towers of carved stone, and wide windows, and books so numerous that that they seemed to bend both time and space. What a lucky town, people said, to have such a marvel in their midst! How lucky indeed.

So, imagine, then, what the town must have felt like on the night of the fire.”

Following a string of terrible events, starting with the burning of the beloved Library, the people of Stone-in-the-Glen began to distrust one another. Stone-in-the-Glen gradually became a not so lovely place to live.

So, this is the story of a town that lost its way and how it was that they found it again.

Let’s return to the central theme: What is a neighbor?

All throughout the book, I found myself asking this question, as I watched the story unfold. I wondered how it would be answered by the towns people, the orphans, the Ogress.

I pondered how to answer it myself. The best books do that, you know. Get you to ask yourself questions. To think. To reflect. To seek the answers for yourself.

I asked myself:

-Where I’m not being a good neighbor?
-How might I be sticking labels on people?
-Where am I not being kind with my words?
-In what way might I be engaging in insensitivity, even if it’s not intentional?

These are good questions to ask myself regularly. Just to check-in with myself. We can get so busy, we sometimes let ourselves slip.

I’ll never be perfect, yet, I can strive to do better. Every. Day.

I look around me and see people who are hurting and people who are hurting each other. I want to be part of the solution, and not to add to the problem.

As Anthea, one of the orphans, observed

“It was remarkable, Anthea thought, how it took only one person deciding to do good things, and then convincing others to join in, to create a cascade of good deeds, each one sparking the next. Just think if everyone decided to do so every day. Or, if not everyone, what if some did, and it still expanded? This was a whole new kind of arithmetic. How long would it take for those good deeds to compound? And what would the town look like then?”

This passage really spoke to me.

Since I was a little girl, I wanted to do something to change to world. I’ve always had that desire in me a long as I can remember.

For most of my life, I thought I had to do something BIG to change the world. I tried sooooo many ways over several decades to create that BIG thing I could do to change the world. Yet, I couldn’t seem to make any sort of BIG thing happen.

Now, I realize that only a small percentage of people get to achieve the Oprah, Nelson Mandela, Gandhi, or Mr. Rogers level of impact.

Most of the change in the world happens with ordinary people, like you and me, just helping one person at a time. A kind word here, a simple act of care there. One person at a time. Day after day.

We simply add our little bit of beauty to the world each day. That’s what creates a more beautiful world. The one I want to live in. The one, I’m sure, you do, too.

As the cobbler’s wife so aptly put it, “So much to do,” the cobbler’s wife said breathlessly. “This broken world isn’t going to fix itself, after all.”

It really is up to us to create that kinder world. If we want to see more love, kindness, and compassion in the world, we have to put it there ourselves.

What a beautiful way to spend our remaining days! However many that may be. Sharing love, kindness, and all kinds of beautiful things with each other!

Please don’t miss this exquisite book. It’s a lovely experience. It was for me. It reminded me of my responsibility to my neighbors, including you. And, all the beautiful ways we can go though life together. Adding a little bit more beauty to the world every day.

Goodbye, for now, neighbor. ❤️