I introduced the complex biography of English female writer Virginia Woolf yesterday
morning. I discussed our similarities and the ways I can relate to her as a
girl, a woman, and in the literary sense. After I closed for the morning, I began
toying with the idea of writing letters to loved ones each night. This made me
happy. While I worked out last night before Diff’rent Strokes came on the air, I
listening to Delilah discuss personal relationships needing to loved and
nurtured. This strong female radio personality made sense.
I did read about Virginia Woolf’s tragic ending on the final pages
of her biography. I must be brutally honest here. I simply detest suicide. There
is no in-between in my thinking process. When I was three years old, one of the
strongest women in my life committed suicide by inhaling carbon monoxide inside
of her car. Even as a grown woman, reading stories that include suicide still seem
too real to me. In Woolf’s case, she put a heavy stone inside her clothing and
walked in a river near her home. Her body was discovered a few days later.
How many of us have been at this point in our lives? I have been at
this point in my life before, and so has my husband. Being at the point of
wanting to commit suicide is not a pleasant feeling. In fact, this is a very
dark, scary place a person can ever find. There seems to be no hope. There could
be feelings of guilt, shame, regrets, addictions that have not been addressed,
and no hope of a great future seems to be in the cards. This is a point of no
return for a person in despair. Nobody really understands. If we discuss these
feelings in an open, honest way, we will be sent to a mental hospital and
judged as unstable by our loved ones. Nobody really wishes to experiences this.
I know I do not.
We do not really know how troubled a loved one or writer may be. We
would like to know but we do not. We wish to know because we care. We do not
want to know so we can pass judgment on a person’s troubled situation. Being a part
of an active, loving relationship involves going the distance for somebody
else. Our lives can inspire somebody else in ways that we may not imagine. Reading biographies on writers and famous
icons in the media have provided me with several ideas on how to live my own
life. I do not plagiarize the original ideas and concepts. I learn how to
improve my ways by changing. I grow as a person.
I see Virginia Woolf as a beautiful person. I am looking forward to
reading her literary works in the future. Perhaps I will be able to find some
online the way I hope to find more of Meridel LeSeuer’s works online. The literary
world was both women’s way of creating a place for women. This is something I have
appreciated in my literary walk. When I may be down in the dumps, there will
always be literary voices telling me their stories. I will be liberated further.
I will be able to change perspectives on the world and issues. Being able to
read pieces writers has made me see them as beautiful, handsome, and unique. Each
strong writer contributes a piece to a puzzle.
I can hear the thunder booming in the sky and rain pouring on the
ground. This is not good weather for a woman in an electric wheelchair to be
getting out in. I was able to get out some yesterday. I visited places by my
home. My son missed me. in fact, Luigi stood by the door waiting on me to
return. I have never broken the promise to him of returning home. My son
depends on me to be strong. He is strong for me when I am working out. Luigi gives
me motivation to continue when the world gets me down.
I do not believe that committing suicide are not in the cards for
me. As I look in the mirror, I am able to see the beautiful lady who committed
suicide when I was three years old. This lady has always been with me through every
hard patch in my life. She was silently cheering me on to do better in my life.
This woman’s love of family and strong work ethics has always been inside of
me. This woman changed the world and she has changed me. When I was a child,
she would feed me beets and spoil me as a loving grandmother does. Being able
to smile at my grandmother in the mirror is something worth living for.
I close this morning with a writing challenge. I would like my
readers to reflect on one characteristic you like about yourself and then run
with this. You can write this down, send me a line as a comment, or keep this
private. I want each one of you to know that you have an important purpose in
this world. There are so many people who love and care about you. There are
resources available. The Bible – particularly Psalms – is full of inspiring
passages. I also suggest writing down where God leads you to read. You will be
truly amazed what book will be opened. I was amazed one day when God led me to
read about Queen Esther. Get ready for a new adventure!
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| In loving memory of every man and woman, teenager, and child who have passed on too early in this world from suicide, drugs, diseases, disabilities, and mental illnesses. Each one of you is greatly missed. We love each of you. We will meet again one day.
Kenny Chesney's "Who You'd Be Today"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Ne3cz9eUsQ
Amanda-Leigh's Recommended Web Links:
Virginia Woolf's "Creating A Room of Her Own" - Reviews
http://books.google.com/books/about/A_room_of_one_s_own.html?id=w55jJc3_DT4C
Virginia Woolf featured as an early writer of modernism
http://www.library.csi.cuny.edu/dept/history/lavender/ownroom.html
Criticism of Virginia Woolf's works
http://blogs.dickinson.edu/anglesofliteraryapproach/2011/11/18/new-historical-criticism/
The Literary Network: Virginia Woolf
http://www.online-literature.com/virginia_woolf/
MLA Documentation Guide
http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/747/01/
Suicide Prevention
http://www.suicidepreventionlifeline.org/
Bi-Polar from Yahoo Health
http://health.yahoo.net/health/bipolar-disorder/therapist-visit-guide
Bipolar Disorder from Psychology Today
http://www.psychologytoday.com/conditions/bipolar-disorder
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