By Kathy Oswalt-Forsythe
Last month I unearthed one of my favorite childhood books, “Miss Suzy” by Miriam Young, first published in 1964. It was a Book of the Month Club selection, as were our copies of “Mike Mulligan and His Steam Shovel” and “The Little House,” both by Virginia Lee Burton. On the surface, each story is simple, but the themes and lessons are timeless, and I still think about them today.
My copy of “Miss Suzy” is well loved and worn, missing its back cover, its yellowed pages dog-eared and fragile. You see, I read this little tale over and over.
I adored all of it – the charming illustrations by Arnold Lobel – and the sweet story.
Miss Suzy is a squirrel who lives an idyllic life in her little house at the top of a tall oak tree: she keeps very busy happily cooking, cleaning and singing. And at night, after she puts everything in order, she goes to bed, looks up at the stars, and “it was very peaceful.”
Now her house isn’t large or fancy. She lives simply and takes painstaking care of her belongings and little home. She has a good life and knows it.
Of course, to make this a story, there must be a conflict, and it is introduced in the form of rough, raucous red squirrels who invade her home, break her things, and boot her out.
Miss Suzy isn’t homeless for long: She finds a large, Victorian dollhouse in an old attic and she takes up residence. She marvels at the antique furniture, the China plates, the gold chandeliers, the comfortable four poster beds. And while this house is grand, she longs for her regular life atop the tall oak tree.
She soon shares the dollhouse with some toy soldiers, who are infuriated when they eventually learn of the red squirrels’ invasion. They remove those bullies from Miss Suzy’s battered home, allowing her to repair, replenish, and return to her simple home and life.
The takeaways are so many, but mostly it reinforces that a place of our own, however simple, can bring us security and satisfaction.
During our teens, Mary Tyler Moore presented a human and more modern version of Miss Suzy during her weekly sitcom, the Mary Tyler Moore Show. Mary also lived in a small but charming space. She was capable and mostly confident in caring for her apartment and interacting at her workplace. Mary, of course, had some struggles, or we wouldn’t have had a long-running show, but everything worked out within that thirty-minute time slot, and Mary lived happily and seemed satisfied with what she had.
I shared the worn copy of my childhood favorite with a group of my friends, and the response was emotional. “Oh, just looking at these pictures takes me right back!” and “This brings tears to my eyes. I just loved this book as a little girl!” We all remembered her enchanting and tidy little life and home.
Sometimes, I need to be more like Miss Suzy. Don’t we all? Being content. Clearing the clutter of schedule and belongings. Intentionally uncomplicating our lives.
And, of course, to recognize an important thing: Once Miss Suzy’s simple life was restored, she “was very happy once more.”
It’s a Fine Life.
