The difference between me and Scarlett O'Hara

I watched Gone With the Wind a couple of weeks ago, and really, I can't explain why I love that movie so much. But I do. Scarlett O'Hara doesn't quite meet the expectations that we usually have for the leading lady: she is selfish, conniving, and always looking out for herself, sometimes at the expense of others. Perhaps I am so intrigued by Scarlett because she reminds me of someone? Me?

I know I shouldn't be so hard on myself, or admit to the world that I am sometimes selfish. But isn't everyone? Seriously, one of the biggest challenges we face as humans is resisting the urge to be selfish. Scarlett has moments where, seriously, I can see myself saying exactly what comes out of her mouth (or I already have said it. ha), particularly some of her conversations with her love interests.

Exhibit A

Scarlett to her then-husband, Frank Kennedy: "Great balls of fire, don't bother me anymore, and don't call me sugar!"

Exhibit B

Scarlett: Oh, Rhett I knew you'd come!

Rhett Butler, her future husband: Good evening, nice weather we're having. Prissy tells me you're...

Scarlett: If you make any jokes now, I'll kill you!

Exhibit C

Rhett: Well, what kind of ring would you like, my darling?

Scarlett: Oh, a diamond ring, and do buy a great big one Rhett!

Exhibit D:

Scarlett: Rhett, would you do something for me if I asked you?

Rhett: You know I would.

I can give more, but we'll just leave it at that. My fiancée will probably recognize some of these conversations. Because they really happened. Seriously.

This may seem ridiculous to acknowledge that I am just like Scarlett O'Hara, a woman whose husband finally gets fed up with his wife loving someone she can never have so he walks out on her. That's a happy comparison. Well, let me tell you, I think I've realized why I am not completely like Scarlett O'Hara. For one thing, I am not pining after another man as I marry someone else. Nope. And as I sit here and watch this movie for the 20th time, I think that it teaches me resist the great urge to be selfish and self-centered, and if anything, it shows me what to do to ensure that my husband doesn't walk out on me either!

Conference talks and scriptures can teach you that, but so does Gone With the Wind! Man, I love that movie.