Image via WikipediaPatrizzi Intergalactica writes: "I always thought I was the dumbest kid in the class. My mind was always wondering. Do you have a goddess for that?" Amazingly, I do!It's Echo. Echo was a Greek nymph -- or minor nature goddess. It was her job to distract Zeus's wife Hera whenever Zeus went philandering among the nymphs. Echo would go up to Mt. Olympus, and she'd be all, "Hey, Hera, love your hair. How do you do that cool up-do? Do you use conditioner? Cuz my hair totally needs conditioner. I like the kind with seaweed. Do you like olives? Cuz, actually, I don't really get the whole olive thing. They're so salty." Blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah she would go on and on until finally Hera had to banish her from Mt. Olympus. Then, for good measure, Hera banished Echo's voice too.
Poor Echo was stuck back with the nymphs. She couldn't even have any ambrosia, and whenever she tried to speak she just repeated the last sound she heard. It was a drag. Finally, one day, she saw this totally hot guy named Narcissis. She tried to get his attention, but it was like when kids do that annoying thing where they just repeat what someone else says. Just try to build a relationship on that. Good luck. So poor Echo had to go live out eternity in a cave, although some legends have it that she was finally torn apart by angry shepherds. Either way, it wasn't good.
Distraction is dangerous people! Although I know for a fact that Patrizzi Intergalactica is an intelligent women (I blame public education for this horrible burden of insecurity she's been carrying. See Waiting for Superman), distraction does tend to make one feel...well...voiceless. So put down that cell phone when you're driving. I'm out there on the road with you, people, and I might have my dog with me. Do you want her to get hurt?
Channel this goddess: Actually, let's avoid this one. Center yourself, people. Maybe find a nice mantra, like "I am peaceful and calm. I am peaceful and -- what the heck! Is that gray in my hair? Gray!!!???
Need a goddess: I got goddesses! Post a comment telling me your need and I'll see what I can find.
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15 comments:
Nice one Margaret!
(Nothing to do with your post but I finished a German book "Der Schrecksenmeister" and the main character's name was Echo... it was a cat but not an ordinary cat... a cat that knew all languages included those of the animals all over the world... It was a fantasy-magical-youngster-thriller kind of book... more fantasy though)...
So now that I have left my SO PRECIOUS opinion (useless I know, but everytime I come to visit your blog I feel like writing...) I wish you good night (here it's bedtime) or wonderful day (I guess it's not bedtime over there) and I will go and meet Morpheus! ;-)
Cell phones, texting, eating, working on laptops, it's amazing how distracted drivers are. There must be some goddess who can get these drivers off the road!
Hey, we like gray hair around here! Anyway, I do.
Great tale and great moral.
I love your goddesses - they take me back to my book of gods and goddesses from my childhood - illustrated with art nouveau blockprints - I loved that book and am now trying to remember if I still have it somewhere. Ah, Echo and Narcissis - if ever a couple could put you off being a soppy girl, unrequited love and vanity it was them.
lovely
mairie
Echo is one of my favorites.
We had an old horse at the stable; she had a noble past. And after the ferrier shod her, a lovely ferrier who appreciated a good horse, he wrote her name on the whyte board, along with the others he had shod. But for her, he wrote, "ECHO, Echo, echo." The man was a poet of the hoof.
The dog that lives in the yard behind ours is named Echo. She is easily distracted by any creature that crosses her territory, and we have a family of peaceful opossums trying to live nearby. Echo won't have it! Ever ever ever! She won't have us, either! We are not allowed in our yard! Nor are people allowed to walk by on the street, especially if they're walking a dog!
She is a sweet dog, really, just guarding her perimeters. She does tend to repeat herself, though.
I might look out for that seaweed conditioner. Frivolity and mirth aside, that's a great message about driving, Margaret.
You can say that again.
My childhood physician would have prescribed her the goddess Ritalin
Love this post, Margaret, and your statement about public education struck a cord with me. I had an insensitive 5th grade reading teacher who made an assessment about me (that I now know is incorrect) but it stuck with me for the longest time. Oh...the power I gave to her and her statement...
And AMEN to your take on paying attention! xo
I agree with Joanne! Especially distracted are the drivers putting on their makeup, such as maskara. Which, depending upon the case, distracts canines like myself.
Petrea has quite a Neighborhood Watchdog!
I enjoyed reading this post. I usually do drop in to see you "Goddess of the Week" feature every week even though I don't always comment. This was a fascinating goddess for sure ;)
Can't wait to read your next post! Have a nice day! xxx
Interesting post.
http://youcanfacetodaybecausehelives.blogspot.com/
Let's try this again . . . at the risk of getting my comments banished like Echo for being random :)
I had a student last quarter who chose Echo as her english name when she moved to the US. She had a beautiful voice.
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