Sunday, February 5, 2012

Wednesday's Child...




Although I was born on a Monday, I always felt I was a Wednesday's Child.  It seemed I made many mistakes, cut off my nose to spite my face, or felt like the odd man (person) out most of the time, not getting it done just right or having to do something over again.  Once,  I was told I did not have any common sense.  Growing up with these harsh false beliefs is most apt to foretell or determine the nature of one's character or future.  In the 1500's, however, according to legends and folklore, one's life was prophesied by what day of the week one was born on...as the sun and moon had particular influences on when one moved or took a trip.  There was no science.  The painting of the girl with the bow and arrow may be a bit disconcerting, but the implications are many.  We all know the poem:







Monday's child is fair of face
Tuesday's child is full of grace

Wednesday's child is full of woe

Thursday's child has far to go









Friday's child is loving and giving

Saturday's child works hard for a living












But the child who is born on the Sabbath Day is blithe and bonnie, good and gay






There are variations of this poem in Iambic Pentameter and the Irish  had their own superstitions.  Obviously, now we know the source of our "bad or good luck" or grief and sorrow; it is not because of which day of the week we were born on, and that most heavy calamity is brought on my our own choices, our environment and experiences.

We all have periods when we are all these things.  Hard work or laziness, hateful and spiteful and slow as opposed to kind, sharing and a high I. Q. depend more on our inherited genes than such an uneducated idea.  The poem is fun to sing, but like so many nursery rhymes, skewed and misleading.

It was written by Anna Eliza Bray in 1838 in her book "Traditions of  Devenshire" in which she delved more deeply into those traditions and guidelines believed to be true a long time ago.

And I am not a Wednesday's child anymore.  Today I am more a Friday's child, striving to become more like Sunday's child...






Regrettably I did not keep the names of the artists with their work that I've used here today.

K



2 comments:

  1. This one is wonderful, I adore the pictures you used. I think you got such good ideas across for each day using such beautiful art. Nanc/Thursday

    ReplyDelete
  2. Nanc/Thursday - thank you so much. I missed the Scavenger Hunt Sunday this week so a lot of people will not be aware I have another post..I love to pair photos or art with words.

    ReplyDelete

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