Catharsis

I took my daughter to see 'The Descendents'.   I really should research films before I see them as it turned out to be a mistress's nightmare.   There are times when the reality of what I am doing and the potential for devastating hurt overwhelm me and I can't believe that I could be doing such a thing.   I then block off as it's all too painful,

So, yesterday we went out for Valentine's Day and he bought me a card.   This is a weird, weird life.
I told him about this blog and we talked about him not talking about his marriage and he has promised to tell me about all the good things about it.   It will hurt like hell but also be a reality check and is something I feel needs to happen.   Experiences like going to see the film make me realise that I can't keep living in denial.    It might not change my choices but at least I'll have all the facts.

Whilst I still have denial I want to talk about Aspasia, a particularly impressive woman from 5BC Athens.   She was an immigrant and a woman so doubly disadvantaged in Athenian society and yet she was so intelligent that Socrates referred to her as his teacher.   She was also the mistress of Pericles, Athen's leading statesman.   His own laws forbade them to marry but he could not live without her and moved her into his house where she bore him a son.   She established a salon where the intellectual elite of the day gathered to debate politics and philosophy with her.    However she threatened the stability of Athenian society so was persecuted increasingly and blamed for everything including wars. No-one knows what happened to her in the end but her illegitimate son became Pericles heir.