September 25
Crisis, age 48, London
September 25, 2009
She knows I have to sing. There is a part of me that wants to tell me still that it is not for me, that I do not deserve and will not be, am not, good enough. My elder, who has guided me surefooted through these past seventeen years, tells me I can be who I want to be. She brought me many presents, unexpectedly many presents which I opened when I was in bed last night, surprised by and pleased with, her gifts. She can see me clearly, a facility I do not seem to have had. I need to look into and through the smoky mirror, let me open my mouth of fire and roar, let me sing the songs of the long years lament, looking backwards and forwards holding the deep thick and intense candle of hope strong in my hands, sheathed in flowers, seeing the darkness of the route travelled and with the awareness of the grace of the coming routes strongly lit. I know you need to hear the songs from the darkest of times so that you might see clearly who it is I am and what it is I have to offer you. She said I could call you back to me, and inside myself I saw desert landscapes, me, on a mountainous terrain. I saw through the mists of time, I saw through other lands, I knew I was not just of now, but of other worlds, lands and times. And in this time then I need to gather all of me together and truly let me inhabit the me I am. I do not need to struggle in relationships, struggle in the world, let my mind become petty with vicious thoughts and hatreds thousands of years old. I need again and again to just fill up my space with me then there is not room for others to step in and steal my space away from me. I need to create the world I want, to have the life I want, and not believe others can stop me.
Laura M., age 15, North Carolina
September 25, 1997
No Chris. Tim wasn’t in 6th period ’cause he was with Sean, Mike, and CHRIS. Fuck him! I almost cried. Went 2 Renee’s with Zach, Sol, and Julie. Played some pool and watched. Eddie came at 4:30. I drove Zach in the Saturn and did pretty good. Me and Eddie went 2 YMCA and exercised 4 about an hour. Felt good. Did homework. Ate pizza and watched “Friends.” Had cinnamon rolls. Em took me home. Want 2 hit Chris.
Anna L., age 75, Illinois
September 25, 1960
Up as usual early. Lo out to cabin but home to pick Carrie up. After taking her to SS came home to do a few things and start things for our dinner. Went to veg. stand. So far no key. Took Carrie home and decided to get things out of attic. In the midst when Pink, M. Dorothy and Wilbur came. We came home for a little while, they to the cabin. Didn’t stay long.
Marcy S., age 14, Tennessee
September 25, 1938
Got up and ate breakfast and practiced. At 9:30 picked up Mrs. McClure and we all drove to Sunday-School. I didn’t stay for church but drove home with Mother and practiced, studied, washed the dishes and made the beds.
Henry S., age 26, Michigan
September 25, 1887
We have both been at home all day. I had a headache and so did Kate, and the baby is sick too. I wrote a letter to ma this afternoon and evening.
*(R. Henry Scadin Collection, D.H. Ramsey Library Special Collections, UNC Asheville)
Abbie B., age 22, Kansas
September 25, 1871
Philip went to W was gone one night. He brought me chocolate, nutmegs, cookies and medacine. I wanted two pounds of brown sugar for cookies – have plenty white he got seven pounds, because he could get that much for a dollar. They do so much buying here by the “dollars worth.” Last eve a skunk walked up to the door, I was almost afraid to breath, for fear it would come in but it turned and left. The prairie is on fire acrost the river, and behind a divide. In the evening the reflection is gorgeous. Brother says it is early for prairie fires.
*(kansasmemory.org, Kansas State Historical Society, copy and reuse restrictions apply)
Cornelia H., age 26, North Carolina
September 25, 1862
I gathered some potatoes for dinner today & then quilted the rest of the day. Atheline will begin to cook tomorrow. Mrs. Garman spent the day here. She came to see Mr. Henry about selling some jeans to him. She asks 3$ pr. yd. He went to Asheville this morning, did not get back till night. He will not take the jeans at that price.
*(Fear in North Carolina: The Civil War Journals and Letters of the Henry Family, Eds. Karen L. Clinard and Richard Russell, used with permission.)
Samuel P., age 35, London
September 25, 1668
Up, and Sir D. Gawden with me betimes to confer again about this business, and he gone I all the morning finishing our answer, which I did by noon, and so to dinner, and W. Batelier with me, who is lately come from Impington, beyond which I perceive he went not, whatever his pretence at first was; and so he tells me how well and merry all are there, and how nobly used by my cozen. He gone, after dinner I to work again, and Gibson having wrote our answer fair and got Brouncker and the rest to sign it, I by coach to White Hall to the Committee of the Council, which met late, and Brouncker and J. Minnes with me, and there the Duke of York present (but not W. Coventry, who I perceive do wholly avoid to have to do publickly in this business, being shy of appearing in any Navy business, which I telling him the other day that I thought the King might suffer by it, he told me that the occasion is now so small that it cannot be fatal to the service, and for the present it is better for him not to appear, saying that it may fare the worse for his appearing in it as things are now governed), where our answer was read and debated, and some hot words between the Duke of York and Sir T. Clifford, the first for and the latter against Gawden, but the whole put off to to-morrow’s Council, for till the King goes out of town the next week the Council sits every day. So with the Duke of York and some others to his closet, and Alderman Backewell about a Committee of Tangier, and there did agree upon a price for pieces of eight at 4s. 6d. Present the Duke of York, Arlington, Berkeley, Sir J. Minnes, and myself. They gone, the Duke of York did tell me how hot Clifford is for Child, and for removing of old Officers, he saying plainly to-night, that though D. Gawden was a man that had done the best service that he believed any man, or any ten men, could have done, yet that it was for the King’s interest not to let it lie too long in one hand, lest nobody should be able to serve him but one. But the Duke of York did openly tell him that he was not for removing of old servants that have done well, neither in this place, nor in any other place, which is very nobly said. It being 7 or 8 at night, I home with Backewell by coach, and so walked to D. Gawden’s, but he not at home, and so back to my chamber, the boy to read to me, and so to supper and to bed.
*(The Diary of Samuel Pepys M.A. F.R.S., edited by Henry B. Wheatley F.S.A., London, George Bell & Sons York St. Covent Garden, Cambridge Deighton Bell & Co., 1893.)