Eleanor
Someday, hopefully soon, I will tell Ellie all about the woman I named her after: Eleanor of Aquitaine. She was many things: Queen of England AND France, independent woman who fought for her right to divorce an abusive husband, a one-time political prisoner, warrior (she personally led her duchy’s armed contingent in the Second Crusade), patron of literature (including of Chretien de Troyes), mother of Kings, and one of the leading proponents of courtly love.
Today, I bought Ellie her first book on Eleanor. Sure, she won’t be able to read it yet, but when letters start giving up their secrets to her, I want this book to be close to hand.
I also named my little Ellie after the lead character in Carl Sagan’s novel, Contact: Eleanor Arroway. Although the book version of Ellie varied significantly from the movie (played by Jodie Foster btw), both women have inspired me greatly, for their personal strength, their scientific oomph, and their innate spirituality unfettered by religion.
