Thinking of the Future

When I first wanted to pursue a career in the field of History, I wanted to study nothing short of the Tudor period. I had read a book by Phillipa Gregory called, "The Other Boleyn Girl", that centered around the court of King Henry VIII, and the journey of Mary Boleyn and her sister Anne.

In the book, Mary was the younger sister, but in reality, she was the eldest. Though the story is a work of historical fiction, the events in the book are based on fact.

Even though Mary had married a man of good stock and would be provided for handsomely (her husband was high in the King's favor), the story and circumstances that changed the course of history, starting with Mary, came about a year or two later when her sister Anne was brought home from France to wed into a family that would make Anne a Duchess. Those plans, however, never came to fruition because her Uncle and Father were both greedy men who wanted men in a gift of marriage then the family could offer. While this was happening, things were going sourly for Queen Katherine of Aragon. She was nearing her change and had not yet produced a thriving male heir, having only given the King a girl. All the others had failed to thrive or were stillborn. His attentions soon turned to Mary, and even though Mary and her husband protested, they were powerless against the will of her Uncle and Father.

Soon, Mary was living back with the ladies in waiting, and sharing a room with Anne. She was being coached by Anne and their brother George (who was also high in the King's favor), about how to bring the King into her fold and keep him there. There are many accounts that the two of the three children Mary bore over those years were the King's, but that has yet to be proven.

Mary eventually started to fall from grace in the King's eye, and the family decided to put Anne in her sister's place, even though her sister had married another man, and the two were torn apart, the marriage known only to some and kept quiet by means of threats. The man eventually married another, but his heart always held true for Anne.

Anne was different. She would not allow the King to bed her before marriage, and it drove the King mad, leading him to seek a divorce from Katherine of Aragon, which was never granted, leading him to turn from the Catholic faith, and put his faith in a religion that was once deemed heresy and punishable by death. This religion founded a new church, The Church of England, and decreed that the King was Emporer and Pope in his own kingdom, and he did not have to answer to the Pope. This led to King Henry being named head of the Church of England, casting off his lawful wife, and raising Anne up from the title of commoner to a fully fledged Noble with titles and wealth.

After she was presented in the French court as the next Queen of England, Anne let him have what he had been longing for, and she soon conceived what she thought (and had promised) was the son the King had always wanted. He hurried the marriage, and had her crowned as Queen, but when she delivered, it was a baby girl whom they called Elizabeth, after the King's mother. Many more attempts at conception were made, but she never delivered another live child. Mary was sent away from the family in disgrace for marrying a man beneath their nobility. It wasn't until years later that Anne's fate was sealed when the King started to openly court Jane Seymour, the family that were always the Boleyn's rivals, and when Anne gave birth to a severely deformed and disfigured premature child, labeling her as a witch who had made a pact with the devil to have a son. There were also accounts that she openly flirted with and had slept with many men of the court, including her brother George. George was beheaded, and it was only days before the same ending befell Anne.

Henry would go on to marry 4 other women, beheading one, divorcing another, losing one to childbirth for the son he always wanted, and the last luckily outliving him before he could behead her as well.

The story was so fascinating and amazing, and I still love it to this day. But I realize now that, although this story and the whole history behind the events holds a candle in my heart, there is another part of history that has made me realize it needs more attention than the many marriages and changes of a man and country, and that would an event that still has major influence to this day, and remains one of the worst events to date; The Holocaust.

Reading the Diary of Anne Frank has made a huge impact on me. Here was a girl who, like me, loves writing, history, mythology, and tried, with her family, to escape persecution for what she was born as, and the histories of so many others who suffered at the hands of these tyrants. Many would go on to survive the ordeal, even escape and fight back.

Even though the events of Henry VIII shook and formed an entire country, the prejudices that took place during WW2 and the Holocaust are still occurring to this day, and many schools are trying not to teach the students about what happened. Many speculate whether it did indeed happen,a nd try to deny it, but others don't want it taught because it's too "painful" or "gruesome" or "horrifying" or "upsetting". Quite frankly, there's more upsetting and unsettling things to be seen on the nightly news, Facebook, and other Internet sites than can be found in textbooks.

How are we supposed to overcome the past when they do nothing but suppress it?

I think that, in the end, I'm choosing the correct area as my focus. Their stories need to be told and circulated so that the lies told by others don't make this country any more ignorant than it already is.

Too much is at stake from those not knowing the past, and to ensure the continuation of humanity, we need to bring these events into the open and be honest about what transpired, and what brought it about.

The kittens and my PSAS have been keeping me up and even though I'm tired, I can't yet sleep.PSAS is raging tonight and I don't know how to fight it. I'm doing my best and I'm proud of myself.

Stay strong guys, and remember to listen to your instincts. They can lead you down the roads you need, and keep you honest and well.

My love to all of you.