Omar Khayyam, b. 1048. Last year’s post on the Persian poet.

Dame Margot Fonteyn, b. 1919, d. 1991. Celebrated British ballerina, her most famous role was Aurora in The Sleeping Beauty. (For Dancer Daughter–and anyone else who might be interested in The Dance.)

Pope John Paul II, b 1920, d. 2005. Karol Wojtyla was born in Wadowice, Poland. He was the first Polish pope. I like this papal quote: “Do not abandon yourselves to despair. We are the Easter people and hallelujah is our song.” And this one should be posted above my door because we all have much work to do in this regard: “To maintain a joyful family requires much from both the parents and the children. Each member of the family has to become, in a special way, the servant of the others.”

Lillian Hoban, b. 1925. Last year’s post on Lillian Hoban.