The countryside on my way to Cavendish, PEI, was breathtaking. There was a continuous stream of lush greenness. This was the last activity on my list, and I was cutting it awfully short to the Ferry schedule. I had exactly 30 minutes to walk through the Museum before I had to get back on the road.

It wasn’t hard to find Green Gables Heritage Site, and the great thing about driving here is the roads are practically empty. Of all the sites I wanted to see, this one was on the top of the list. Growing up in Canada, I’ve always heard about Anne of Green Gables. But it was in my adult life that I watched the series on Netflix. I loved it. So, it would be a little disappointing to come all this way and not actually get to see this Historic site.

Lucy Maud Montgomery, the author of Anne of Green Gables, wrote this, her first book in 1908. The book is based in PEI, and is about an orphan girl, named Anne who was adopted by two middle-aged siblings; Matthew and Marilla Cuthbert. They initially wanted a boy from the orphanage to help Matthew on the farm, but after a series of events, the Cuthberts developed a strong affection for Anne and adopted her. It was impressive to walk through a fictional house, though in real life this farm was the home of David Jr. and his sister Margaret, cousins of Montgomery’s grandfather. Although the author never lived in this fictional house, she had visited her cousins many times.

In the 30 minutes I had, I paid $6 for admission, and walked towards the house. It’s not a big house, but I like the experience of stepping into history for all of 15 minutes. There was a trail behind the house, but time did not allow me to go hiking. Instead, I walked through the barn, and into the gift shop. That’s when I met this teenage girl behind the counter. I’d come back to die here, she said matter of factly, in between, you have to go exploring, see the world. But, I would want to come back here. She paused. It was a great place to grow up. What did you like about being at Green Gables? It’s just so pretty. I felt free. That my parents never had to worry about my safety. That they always know where they could find me, which, in a weird way, made me feel free to do whatever I wanted. 

I, at least hope to visit again for more than 24 hours to experience that freedom. I checked the time. I still had 10 minutes. Waving goodbye to the young cashier, I made my way to my vehicle, and back on the road I went: Mission Accomplished. Halifax, here I come.

………

That evening, in Halifax, I had my last supper prepared in my honour, with a glass of Chardonnay, as a final salud to all of the week’s excitement. Life is beautiful in all of it’s experiences, both the bitter and the sweet. Let’s experience them all with appreciation, and know that the next great one is in your hands to shape. They don’t just happen.