Julian of Norwich and the power of inspirational words in tough times
Woman's Hour
BBC
4.1 • 3K Ratings
🗓️ 8 May 2023
⏱️ 58 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
Words to live by and finding hope in the face of terrible suffering, the life of the anchoress or hermit Julian of Norwich, the power of walking and nature to heal and art that replaces adverts with words of love – all part of this special Bank Holiday Woman’s Hour.
650 years ago a woman we only know as Julian of Norwich produced a book written while she was voluntarily walled up in a hermit’s cell which challenged the ideas of the time about sin and suffering. It presented a radical vision of love and hope that “All Shall Be Well and All Shall Be Well and All Manner of Thing Shall be Well”. We hear about her life, how it has helped one woman through cancer treatment and inspired the lives of others, and we hear from listeners about the words that they turn to for motivation and encouragement.
Nuala McGovern speaks to Claire Gilbert author of a new novel I Julian; Dr. Hetta Howes senior lecturer in medieval and early modern literature at City, University of London; Sally-Anne Lomas Trustee of The Friends of Julian and creative director of The Cloth of Kindness project and to Faye Smith founder of Hope Walking. And, the British Kenyan artist Grace Ndiritu explains why she emblazoned the words 'Wherever you are I hope you have found peace' on 30 billboards around Birmingham.
Producer Caroline Donne
Transcript
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| 0:00.0 | BBC Sounds, Music, Radio, Podcasts. |
| 0:06.0 | Hello, this is Nulem Agauvin and you're listening to the Woman's Hour podcast. |
| 0:10.0 | And today I'm asking, do you have words to live by? |
| 0:15.0 | Maybe words of love or kindness that have helped you through a tough time? |
| 0:20.0 | And mantra that keeps you going? |
| 0:22.0 | Words that I like are from Maya Angelou. |
| 0:25.0 | It says, I've learned that people will forget what you said. |
| 0:30.0 | People will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel. |
| 0:35.0 | So that's my one, but maybe Brenna Brown speaks to you? |
| 0:40.0 | Sometimes the bravest and most important thing you can do is just show up. |
| 0:46.0 | Well, you know, when we talk about slogans, this is one that pops into my mind. |
| 0:49.0 | Maybe you've popped onto your bedroom wall, live, laugh, love. |
| 0:53.0 | It actually comes from a 1904 poem called Success by Bessie Anderson Stanley. |
| 0:58.0 | And it was hugely popular at certain times, but now consider a little bit naff by some. |
| 1:03.0 | But a lot of us do have words of inspiration spelled out on fridge doors or on posters or t-shirts, maybe a tattoo. |
| 1:11.0 | I do wonder, is it more of a female thing to do to have these words to turn to in times of stress perhaps? |
| 1:20.0 | I want you to stop and think about this phrase. |
| 1:25.0 | All shall be well and all shall be well and all manner of things shall be well. |
| 1:31.0 | How familiar is it to you? |
| 1:33.0 | On today's woman's hour, we'll be hearing about a woman who 650 years ago |
| 1:38.0 | wrote a book that challenged the profiling ideas of the time about suffering and sin. |
| 1:44.0 | She dared to present a vision of love and hope in the face of terrible suffering. |
... |
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