Monday Musings

George Sand was the pen name for Amantine Lucile Aurore Dupin de Francueil, a French novelist, memoirist, journalist, and playwright. She adopted her pseudonym in 1831 at the age of 27 to increase her ability to be published in a male world. In her lifetime, she was one of the most notable writers in Europe during the Romantic Era, more so than Honore de Balzac or Victor Hugo. A prolific author, she wrote over 70 novels and more than 50 other works in various genres. Sand also wrote an autobiography. George was a rebel in many respects. In addition to her gender-ambiguous name, she wore male clothing in public despite laws which required women to obtain a permit to wear men’s attire, a rule which she ignored. She also blatantly smoked tobacco in public. Sand was married once and had two children. Then, she went on to have a bevy of romantic affairs with notable men of her day, several writers, the composer Chopin, and one woman, actress Marie Dorval. She was politically active, a consu...

We’re a third of the way into March, and the month has been true to its traditional weather variability. Here in the NC Blue Ridge mountains, we have had several significant 24-hour periods of non-stop winds recorded in the 45–75 mph range on our neighbor’s wireless weather station. “March comes in like a lion, and out like a lamb.” English Proverb. The saying was one of the many weather folklore in “Gnomologia; Adagies and Proverbs; Wise Sentences and Witty Saying, Ancient and Modern, Foreign and British,” compiled by Thomas Fuller in 1732. Unfortunately, the March expression is not a valid weather predictor but merely a myth. Many of these concepts were based on ancestral beliefs that weather could be adversely affected by evil spirits; others were founded on the idea that there should be a balance between life and weather. This specific statement is believed to have evolved in relation to astrology. March begins with the constellation Leo (the lion) rising in the east; the month end...

We all experience loss in some form in our lives: being let go from a job, a move away from friends and family, a breakup of a relationship, or the death of a dear pet or a loved one. Each of us responds differently, both physically and emotionally. The depth and longevity of grief symptoms vary by the individual. Elizabeth Kubler-Ross described this process as the five stages of grief. No one’s journey is the same. Some move smoothly through the valley of depression/detachment and rise quickly to acceptance. Others get stuck in shock and denial, anger, depression, or bargaining. There are many ways to cope with the overwhelming burden of grief. Acknowledge your loss and reach out for assistance. If you are blessed with a strong support system, they may help hold you aloft during difficult times. If not, seek out bereavement counseling to aid you on your path to recovery. The paradox of grief is the gifts we may gain from loss.  Mike Slavin’s article  describes eight particula...