11th November, and I've been told by those who believe in astrology (not I) that Scorpio suits me as much as Virgo suits you. (Had a friend back in school produce my natal chart, once. Apparently I am drawn to people, prefer intellectual debate, like to travel, and am prone to indulging my gregarious nature. Were it not for all the bits about how I am also inclined towards success in love and romance ...)
Divinatory nonsense aside, it being the one subject taught in our fair castle in which I have less than no interest --
I have been thinking a great deal this week about the past, and about received and secret histories (both personal and societal), and about the way things look in the sharper light of relative morning as compared to the way they looked throughout the long dark night of the soul. And the universe does seem to be conspiring to reinforce the thematic progression with distressing frequency of late. I would not presume to ask you to revisit your own dark nights of the soul, nor ask you to pick your way through a field of uncertain footing solely for my benefit: I do of course have other sources, of longer and closer relationship, upon whom to presume for the detail, once we are able to find worlds enough and time.
Yet I was reminded last night, by a bold young man of my recent acquaintance, that those who do not remember the past are doomed to repeat it, and (though he did not draw the connection himself) was also reminded that fitting the past into neat little boxes is often impossible no matter what the heart desires: time and history are messy things, unsuited to packing neatly away like books or tea-things. What has gone before shapes us, even when -- perhaps most when -- we try to forget. And -- forgive me my presumption -- from several things you have said and more things you have shied away from, I suspect you to have tangles of your own that you are still trying to sort through (tidying the mental drawers is so much harder in adulthood, is it not?)
No doubt you have your own confidantes and confessors, and may feel our friendship too new to bear much weight of confidence. But I am an excellent listener, and will gladly place those services at your disposal -- and like any confessor, confidentiality is utmost. If you could use an ear, and someone to hold those tangled skeins of thought as you work to unravel them, I am at your service for the asking.
Bah. Philosophical this morning.
I do believe you're on to something with your idea about parts and wholes, and it's something that certainly bears more thought. (And connected to the former, actually, if one follows the threads far enough back to their source.) The human mind has a lamentable tendency towards black-and-white thinking, does it not? And yet the world is wreathed 'round in shades of grey, and each piece of the whole is, when taken alone, large enough to be a whole of itself. You're right that making that reasoning explicit may prove to be a fertile line of thought for the children (and I wonder if they've ever had it explicitly stated as such?) This week's lessons have already been sorted, but I may place a discussion touching upon the question upon the syllabus for next week; it dovetails nicely with the choice I will be asking them to make between practical and theoretical study.
(Am happy to provide a private demonstration of this week's party trick, meanwhile, whenever it suits. Though Razzer's just as capable, and likely nearer to hand!)
Off to spend a quiet afternoon soaking up sunshine with book in hand, and if I am lucky, the book will not wind up reading me. May your Sunday continue to be as pleasant (and the hangover, if you were thus afflicted, quick to ease).
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Re: Private message to Antosha
Date: 2012-09-09 05:11 pm (UTC)11th November, and I've been told by those who believe in astrology (not I) that Scorpio suits me as much as Virgo suits you. (Had a friend back in school produce my natal chart, once. Apparently I am drawn to people, prefer intellectual debate, like to travel, and am prone to indulging my gregarious nature. Were it not for all the bits about how I am also inclined towards success in love and romance ...)
Divinatory nonsense aside, it being the one subject taught in our fair castle in which I have less than no interest --
I have been thinking a great deal this week about the past, and about received and secret histories (both personal and societal), and about the way things look in the sharper light of relative morning as compared to the way they looked throughout the long dark night of the soul. And the universe does seem to be conspiring to reinforce the thematic progression with distressing frequency of late. I would not presume to ask you to revisit your own dark nights of the soul, nor ask you to pick your way through a field of uncertain footing solely for my benefit: I do of course have other sources, of longer and closer relationship, upon whom to presume for the detail, once we are able to find worlds enough and time.
Yet I was reminded last night, by a bold young man of my recent acquaintance, that those who do not remember the past are doomed to repeat it, and (though he did not draw the connection himself) was also reminded that fitting the past into neat little boxes is often impossible no matter what the heart desires: time and history are messy things, unsuited to packing neatly away like books or tea-things. What has gone before shapes us, even when -- perhaps most when -- we try to forget. And -- forgive me my presumption -- from several things you have said and more things you have shied away from, I suspect you to have tangles of your own that you are still trying to sort through (tidying the mental drawers is so much harder in adulthood, is it not?)
No doubt you have your own confidantes and confessors, and may feel our friendship too new to bear much weight of confidence. But I am an excellent listener, and will gladly place those services at your disposal -- and like any confessor, confidentiality is utmost. If you could use an ear, and someone to hold those tangled skeins of thought as you work to unravel them, I am at your service for the asking.
Bah. Philosophical this morning.
I do believe you're on to something with your idea about parts and wholes, and it's something that certainly bears more thought. (And connected to the former, actually, if one follows the threads far enough back to their source.) The human mind has a lamentable tendency towards black-and-white thinking, does it not? And yet the world is wreathed 'round in shades of grey, and each piece of the whole is, when taken alone, large enough to be a whole of itself. You're right that making that reasoning explicit may prove to be a fertile line of thought for the children (and I wonder if they've ever had it explicitly stated as such?) This week's lessons have already been sorted, but I may place a discussion touching upon the question upon the syllabus for next week; it dovetails nicely with the choice I will be asking them to make between practical and theoretical study.
(Am happy to provide a private demonstration of this week's party trick, meanwhile, whenever it suits. Though Razzer's just as capable, and likely nearer to hand!)
Off to spend a quiet afternoon soaking up sunshine with book in hand, and if I am lucky, the book will not wind up reading me. May your Sunday continue to be as pleasant (and the hangover, if you were thus afflicted, quick to ease).
With greatest affection,
T