Do you recall that old Mother Goose rhyme?
Monday’s child is fair of face
Tuesday’s child is full of grace
Wednesday’s child is full of woe
Thursday’s child has far to go
Friday’s child is loving and giving
Saturday’s child works hard for a living
But the child that is born on the Sabbath day
Is bonny and blithe, and good and gay.
I was born on a Tuesday, and I spent many years wondering why I wasn’t a dancer, or able to walk on a balance beam without falling off. It was a long time before I learned the rhyme might have meant a different kind of grace. According to Merriam Webster, there are a lot of possibilities:
- Unmerited divine assistance given humans for their regeneration or sanctification
- A virtue coming from God
- A state of sanctification enjoyed through divine grace
- Approval, favor
- Charming or attractive trait or characteristic
- A pleasing appearance or effect
- Ease and suppleness of movement or bearing
- Used as a title of address or reference for a duke, a duchess, or an archbishop
- A short prayer at a meal asking a blessing or giving thanks
- Sense of propriety or right <had the grace not to run for elective office — Calvin Trillin>
I have decided my favorite one is #8. Just address me as “Your Grace,” and all will be well.
So, my friends, which day of the week marked your birth? Let me know. In case you don’t know, here’s a fun website that will calculate it for you. And I hope you aren’t full of woe.
writinghersense 