Image by jspatchwork via Flickr
A fate goddess and the mother of the stars, Siduri Sabitu lived in a cave covered with beautiful gems. The night sky was her cauldren and in it she stirred the mead of regeneration, which gave the gods immortal life.
The hero Gilgamesh went to see Siduri Sabitu. His best friend had died, and poor Gilgamesh had come to realize that not even heroes can live forever. Being a hero, however, he refused to take death lying down. "I don't want to die," he told the goddess. "Can I have some of your mead?"
"Look, Gilgamesh, do you even know how full of yourself you guys are? The only thing that gives people an ounce of humility is the looming threat of death. If even one of you got to live forever you'd be like a pig at a buffet. We'd hear you snorting a mile off. Stop this quest. You knew friendship! You knew love! Focus on that."
(Yeah. I know. But goddesses say things like that. If Gilgamesh didn't want that kind of advice he should have stayed home and talked to his mother).
Anyway, Siduri Sabitu tried to send him on his way, but Gilgamesh looked
so sad that she gave him some wine and let him play Wii Sports Resort for a while. Then she sent
him on his way, but he never did get the mead.
Siduri Sabitu reminds us that while this life can seem god forsaken, it's the only one we've got. There are lots of ways we can try and forget that -- Barbara Walters' increasingly plastic face comes to mind -- but bottom line: we don't get the regenerative mead. We do get regular mead, however, and studies show that, in moderation, it might actually improve your health! So pour yourself a glass and then pour one for a friend. The world seldom seems as drab when your not alone.
Channel this goddess: When life seems a disappointment, when ennui has you down, when you're not sure what your next cocktail should be, and when you're having a hard time living in the moment.
Gidyean: Hope this goddess works for you. Now go get that cocktail.
Need a goddess: I've got goddesses! Leave me a comment about what you need or who you need one for. I'll see what I can do.
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16 comments:
I like the sound of this goddess. She's the one for me!
Well, at least she let him play Wii Sports Resort, whisking him away in imagination!
Awesome, Margaret
First time I laughed today
Joanne: Exactly. The point is, we must find other ways to be whisked away.
This is so beautiful. Witty, funny and touching all at the same time! Wonderful!
Anyway there are people who don't know what humility is... they think they're some kind of highlander, who will always win and never die. I don't envy them though... even if they live without fear of death, they lead a really sad life don't you think!
Let's live the life we've got and be thankful even if sometimes it's not really what we though it would be... ;-)
Margaret, I love your writing. You draw great commenters, too.
The other morning my neighbor asked how I was doing and my automatic response was "fine, how're you?" He said the same. We had just been discussing a neighbor we liked who recently died. Ed said just being alive is a good thing, and especially this year just having a job and your health is "awesome." So yeah, I'm doing awesome.
I love that image of the night sky as a cauldron.
A wonderful post too. Thanks.
Actually skies whisk me away, but only if they have clouds.
Winsome. A little sad. I guess we're drinking red? Well, it's good for the blood.
Mead's nice and all, but I'm happy with the glass of red and thee or thou. Another lovely one, Margaret!
You can sing along a nice little jingle tune with this Goddess.
My favorites. The middle eastern legends. Funny line about hanging out with your mother. Bottoms up!
Great job, it definately brought the laughter! Barbara Walters' plastic face, so funny!
I am going with the laughter--
I need a goddess to handle an obnoxious 7th grade Social Studies teacher who feels it is beneath him to respond to my emails.And leans towards being a bully.
Tomorrow I go to sit in the school office until the principal will see me.I have all day and will bring a book.I can wait really..
Rois
Rois: I will find you your goddess. In the meantime: cc the principal every time you email the teacher. It's worked wonders over here -- and, believe me, I feel your pain.
Had she been a Celtic goddess she might have said 'You're lucky to have got anything at all, what to think of eternity!"
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