The James Logan Courier

By Christine Surna Khayat, Courier Staff Writer

This time of year can seem extremely overwhelming to many of us. Winter Break is here, which means mass amounts of family get togethers and other plans we may find difficult to follow through with. Not to mention the fact that the semester is coming to an end, and the stresses of finals and other work may be building up. The realization that the school year is nearly half over shocks many of us, and relieves others.

Regardless, each and every one of us, during our lives, encounter obligations, from spending time with our families and friends, to being present at important functions in the lives of the people who we care for and who form our community. Often, these obligations are actually fun and fulfilling, and we want to be there. At the same time, we all sometimes experience resistance to meeting these obligations, especially when they pile up all at once and we begin to feel exhausted, longing for nothing so much as a quiet evening at home. At times like these, we may want to say no but feel too guilty at the idea of not being there. Still, our primary obligation is to take care of ourselves, and if saying no to someone else is what we have to do, then we do not need to feel bad about it.

From wikipedia:
George Crabbe (December 24, 1754 - February 3, 1832) was an English poet and naturalist.

He was born in Aldeburgh, Suffolk, the son of a tax collector, and developed his love of poetry as a child. In 1768 he was apprenticed to a local doctor, who taught him little, and in 1771 he changed masters and moved to Woodbridge. There he met his future wife, Sarah Elmy, who accepted his proposal and had the faith and patience not only to wait for Crabbe but to encourage his verse writing. His first major work, a poem entitled "Inebriety", was self-published in 1775. By this time he had completed his medical training, and had decided to take up writing seriously. In 1780, he went to London, where he had little success, but eventually made an impression on Edmund Burke, who helped him have his poem, The Library, published in 1781. In the meantime, Crabbe's religious nature had made itself felt, and he was ordained a clergyman and became chaplain to the Duke of Rutland at Belvoir Castle in Leicestershire.

Read George Crabbe's book of poetry, The Library, one of seven of his works available free from Project Gutenberg.