I might have a different feeling about marriage than some of you because I outlived a 29-year marriage, which ended with the death of my husband in Aug. 2002. I stuck to those "til death do thou part" vows religiously and if my husband was still here today I would still be with him.
But what is "death" in a marriage? Is it only loss of life? I mean the loss of a human life due to physical "death?" Can't there be other kinds of "death" in a marriage?
People change. How many times do you hear a spouse say "he (she) is not the same person I married." ? Truly, a person can change so much that he or she is NOT recognizable as the person you loved.
And what about protracted illness, that in which the sick spouse has absolutely NO recognition of the marriage partner, no physical or mental activity or is unable to live without assisted means...and what if this would go on for many years? Isn't that a type of death? Is the healthy spouse supposed to give up any chance for a normal life forever (or until the other finally passes on)? I am talking about Alzheimer's, strokes, accidents, whatever...I am not inferring that you should abandon that spouse, I just think you should be free to take up with another if you want to.
And what about change of heart? What if you want children and your spouse does not? I mean, what if you REALLY want a child? What if you marry someone who refuses to work? Or becomes an intractible alcoholic?
Back in "the day," Quakers would allow a man to remarry if his wife were incapacitated, and the new wife would actually care for the "old" wife in the same house...do all the work, etc, have more kids, etc. (not for me). these were very enlightened folk...but they thought it perfectly all right to get another spouse if yours was unable to "perform" and why was this not immoral then but it is now?
Something to think about!!
Tuesday, October 18, 2011
Monday, October 10, 2011
HI!!! I HOPE YOU ARE NOT GETTING TIRED OF THIS, BUT THERE are only a few more days!
There is a Shakeapeare reading fundraiser/marathon going on in Courthouse Square this week until Friday the 14th at 8PM. It is easy to access: there is all of the parking for the Schuster Center, and meters parallel with Courthouse Square...after 6PM the meters are free. Just park on 2nd across from the SC and enter the square at the Boston Stoker...you will hear Shakespeare...live!!!!! It is being broadcast from a little art gallery right there. Can't miss it! You just walk in and read for as long as you like. I promise you it is great fun!
There is always food and drink available for participants and there are about a dozen packages for silent auction bids...mostly dinner and theatre...some art pieces if you want to make a bid.
Go read!!!!! It is a HOOT!!!!! There also are cool books about translations, etc and more Shakespeare books to look at. Did I really just put a preposition at the end of a sentence?????
Don't miss the opportunity!!!!! BTW this is a fundraiser for Relay For Life (cancer), so you are reading for a good cause!
There is a Shakeapeare reading fundraiser/marathon going on in Courthouse Square this week until Friday the 14th at 8PM. It is easy to access: there is all of the parking for the Schuster Center, and meters parallel with Courthouse Square...after 6PM the meters are free. Just park on 2nd across from the SC and enter the square at the Boston Stoker...you will hear Shakespeare...live!!!!! It is being broadcast from a little art gallery right there. Can't miss it! You just walk in and read for as long as you like. I promise you it is great fun!
There is always food and drink available for participants and there are about a dozen packages for silent auction bids...mostly dinner and theatre...some art pieces if you want to make a bid.
Go read!!!!! It is a HOOT!!!!! There also are cool books about translations, etc and more Shakespeare books to look at. Did I really just put a preposition at the end of a sentence?????
Don't miss the opportunity!!!!! BTW this is a fundraiser for Relay For Life (cancer), so you are reading for a good cause!
Thursday, October 6, 2011
Early America as read in the Early Lit
I think the Lit of 1600-1800 says a LOT about the history of this country!! Until I read about Columbus and Cabeza de Vaca, I did not know Columbus was a prisoner, explorers were taken captive, etc. Unless one reads the literary accounts, all one "gets" from this time period is words from a history book. These writers bring it alive!! It is like you are there with them...can you imagine giving up everything you know in your "home" country and coming over here and running into what some of these folks ran into? I suppose no one had money to return to Europe...would you have stayed if you didn't have to ? I WOULD NOT HAVE STAYED!!!
Also, I wonder if what we know as the United States today would have been like if "we" had never come here? If we had let it be the way it was? If we had left the natives alone? I wonder...
Also, I wonder if what we know as the United States today would have been like if "we" had never come here? If we had let it be the way it was? If we had left the natives alone? I wonder...
Tuesday, October 4, 2011
Where do these go???
I have posted three blogs...why do they disappear? I don't get this...anyone have a clue?
I was just thinking...
When reading Rowlandson today I wondered about the "bloodthirsty" among us, today and also throughout history. I wonder if, when your culture celebrates the brutal butchering and torture of a perceived foe, if then there is also a high rate of murder among your own...like if you want a problem solved, you just slay the problem.
Looking back in history of the 16-19th centuries and American dealings with the Indians, there seem to be peaceful natives as well ans bloodthirsty. If you remember, the Trail of Tears was executed in total peace, and those natives HAD to have wanted to kill those who were making them move. And even afterwards, when they had lost so much and were organized again, they HAD to have wanted to seek some sort of revenge. I suppose there was no way of knowing if they were horribly outmanned and outmunitioned, etc. but it just seems to me they would have wanted to kill.
Right here in Dayton, the Great Tecumseh (I think he was a Shawnee or a Miami) did just about everything he could to protect his people and other natives, but every now and then he would gather the troops and go on the warpath. And yet he was very intelligent and thoughtful about the entire situation...he was willing to let the settlers live here, just not on his lands. He had faith in treaty after treaty, only to see one after another broken by politicians in Washington.
If you get a chance, read his eloquent speech...the one he gives to his "brothers" (I don't have my book...look in the index under "Tecumseh" and the speech is there). If you read it, you will see a litany of wrongs and finally, a decision to take action. Obviously, this was not a man with a short fuse or a lack of respect for humans.
Tecumseh's brother, sounds like "Cheek-sicca," was killed right at the corner of Monument and either Ludlow or Perry Streets. Tecumseh himself was killed during the War of 1812 at Thames, (Canada or Michigan). He was well-respected...there is a stunning statue of him lying in death at the Smithsonian.
And apparently, the "new" Americans put up with a lot and decided this country was worth it somehow. When I moved to my neighborhood, I was not constantly afraid that I would be butchered in the middle of the night by a "wild" people. I am not constantly wondering what country will take over my homeland. I certainly never experienced any kind of enemy surrounding my house and killing my family right in front of me. I doubt I would have wanted to stay here after any of those things occurred.
There is still time to read Shakepeare in the marathon which begins this weekend. If you can't or don't want to do it, maybe you work somewhere which would donate a gift card or food or something...they are using restaurant certificates to feed the participants and they have a silent auction, etc for the gift cards which do not involve food. they are taking ANYTHING...this is fundraiser for cancer.
Just look up "Free Shakespeare" and you should be able to find out how to participate or donate. I am going to do it (read) and I am looking forward to it! Happy Fall!!! Julie
Looking back in history of the 16-19th centuries and American dealings with the Indians, there seem to be peaceful natives as well ans bloodthirsty. If you remember, the Trail of Tears was executed in total peace, and those natives HAD to have wanted to kill those who were making them move. And even afterwards, when they had lost so much and were organized again, they HAD to have wanted to seek some sort of revenge. I suppose there was no way of knowing if they were horribly outmanned and outmunitioned, etc. but it just seems to me they would have wanted to kill.
Right here in Dayton, the Great Tecumseh (I think he was a Shawnee or a Miami) did just about everything he could to protect his people and other natives, but every now and then he would gather the troops and go on the warpath. And yet he was very intelligent and thoughtful about the entire situation...he was willing to let the settlers live here, just not on his lands. He had faith in treaty after treaty, only to see one after another broken by politicians in Washington.
If you get a chance, read his eloquent speech...the one he gives to his "brothers" (I don't have my book...look in the index under "Tecumseh" and the speech is there). If you read it, you will see a litany of wrongs and finally, a decision to take action. Obviously, this was not a man with a short fuse or a lack of respect for humans.
Tecumseh's brother, sounds like "Cheek-sicca," was killed right at the corner of Monument and either Ludlow or Perry Streets. Tecumseh himself was killed during the War of 1812 at Thames, (Canada or Michigan). He was well-respected...there is a stunning statue of him lying in death at the Smithsonian.
And apparently, the "new" Americans put up with a lot and decided this country was worth it somehow. When I moved to my neighborhood, I was not constantly afraid that I would be butchered in the middle of the night by a "wild" people. I am not constantly wondering what country will take over my homeland. I certainly never experienced any kind of enemy surrounding my house and killing my family right in front of me. I doubt I would have wanted to stay here after any of those things occurred.
There is still time to read Shakepeare in the marathon which begins this weekend. If you can't or don't want to do it, maybe you work somewhere which would donate a gift card or food or something...they are using restaurant certificates to feed the participants and they have a silent auction, etc for the gift cards which do not involve food. they are taking ANYTHING...this is fundraiser for cancer.
Just look up "Free Shakespeare" and you should be able to find out how to participate or donate. I am going to do it (read) and I am looking forward to it! Happy Fall!!! Julie
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