The image of the Maiden/Mother/Crone is ancient,
and its origins are unclear. Egyptian? Celtic? A reflection of the phases of the moon and the female cycle? Reportedly, the Celtic triskele was a pagan symbol representing the three-faced goddess: the young virgin, the fruitful mother, and the wise grandmother. Until Christian missionaries appropriated the symbol to represent the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
Ah, well.
Wicca, Neo-Paganism, and New Age practices still recognize the three-faced goddess in the triskele. I am of Celtic descent and a practicing Catholic, so I’m good with either story. Please enjoy the elegant triskele at upper left and celebrate it as you will, if for no other reason than its lovely geometry. My intention is neither to justify nor debate religious symbols, but rather to apply the symbolic phases of a woman’s life to…well, real life.
In other words, what does it mean to be an old lady in America?