A Different Blue(34)

even granted entrance is remarkable. She was actually turned away twice before she was finally

successful. But eventually Joan was able to convince Charles that she was sent by God by

relaying a prayer that he had recently given asking God if he was the rightful heir to the

throne and if he wasn't that he would suffer and not his people. She told him God had heard him,

and he was indeed the rightful King.

“She sent a letter to the English, telling them that the King of Heaven and son of Mary, even

Jesus Christ, supported the claim of Charles to the French throne and that they should go back

to England. She was also given control over an army and allowed to lead them into battle. A

seventeen-year-old peasant girl!” Wilson looked around the room at his audience, many of whom

were seventeen years old themselves.

“Joan became an almost mythical leader among those who fought against English rule. People were

in awe of her wisdom and knowledge and her spiritual maturity. She gave them something to

believe in and something to fight for. Within a year, Joan of Arc had led the French army to

victories at Orleans, Patay, and Troyes. Many other towns were also liberated from English

control, making possible the coronation of King Charles VII in July of 1429. However, a year

later Joan was captured and sold to the English.

“The English and members of the French clergy decided to put her on trial for witchcraft.

Whenever they wanted to put an end to a woman in those days, they would just accuse her of being

a witch. You'll see this accusation leveled at strong women throughout history. Initially, the

trial was held in public, but Joan's responses in her own defense were much sharper and more

astute than her prosecutors could have ever imagained. She actually garnered support and

sympathy among those listening. Her accusers couldn't have that, and her trial was made private.

“Of course, she was found guilty, and she was sentenced to burn at the stake. It is said that

as she was tied to the stake she forgave her accusers and asked them to pray for her. Many

Englishmen wept at her death, convinced that they had burned a saint. We have a great deal of

documentation from the life of Joan of Arc. But I think one thing she said is particularly

telling about her character and her convictions. She said 'life is all we have, and we live it

as we believe in living it. But to sacrifice what you are and to live without belief, that is a

fate more terrible than dying.'

“The last time we worked on our personal history we wrote about what false beliefs we may have

– beliefs that might be myths. Today I want you to write about the other side of the coin. What

beliefs keep you moving forward? What beliefs define you?”



“Once upon a time there was a little blackbird who was pushed out of the nest, unwanted.

Discarded. Then a Hawk found her and swooped her up and carried her away, giving her a home in

his nest, teaching her to fly. But one day the Hawk didn't come home, and the bird was alone

again, unwanted. She wanted to fly away. But as she rose to the edge of the nest and looked out

across the sky, she noticed how small her wings were, how weak. The sky was so big. Somewhere

else was so far away. She felt trapped. She could fly away, but where would she go?”



I had stopped trying to throw my paper away. But I hated it more every time I saw it. I'm

nobody! Who are you? And my mind traveled right back to that awful day. The day I had become