1/18/12

Goddess of the Week: Nike

English: A stone carving of the Goddess Nike a...
Image via Wikipedia
Heather needs a goddess of self confidence.  She needs the Greek goddess Nike.

Even Zeus needed Nike.  Once, Zeus and the Olympians had to battle the Titans.  The Titans released this crazy-scary monster named Typhon right on Mount Olympus.   The gods freaked out!  Almost all of them fled Mount Olympus in a panic and embarrassed themselves by showing up in Athens with really bad hair and slippers.

Only Zeus and Nike stayed to defend Mount Olympus and the power of the gods.  Zeus, of course, had his whole lightening bolt thing, but Typhon had been locked inside a mountain for, like, forever, and was really pissed.  And, as we all know, a pissed monster, is a psycho-dangerous monster.  It was bad.  One look from Typhon and Zeus's lightening bolts turned into My Little Pony plushies.  One terrifying roar from Typhon and Zeus fell backwards onto the ground.

Abandoned by his brothers and sisters, surrounded by strange pink and purple stuffed horses, Zeus lost confidence in himself and began to lose hope.  But Nike would not let him.  With the ferocity of a drill sargeant and the energy of a girl who believes enthusiasm alone can make one a pom pon girl, Nike cheered on Zeus.  "You are awesome!" She yelled.  "You are fricking Zeus-king-of-fricking-Mount-Olympus," she yelled.  She yelled so loudly that, finally, all Zeus could hear was Nike, and once that happened--once he'd drowned out Typhon and (in the words of Anne Lamott) the KFKD radio of his own mind--he was gold.  He destroyed Typhon, the gods came back, and no one ever again doubted that Zeus was where he belonged.

Nike reminds us that self confidence comes from within.  Turn off KFKD; listen to National Nike Radio instead.

Channel this goddess: when you've lost confidence in yourself, when obstacles seem insurmountable, when resisting the strange allure of My Little Pony.


Need a goddess: Post a comment explaining what you want one for and then check back in a week or two to see what I found.  It's fun!  It's free!  It's better than a poke in the eye!
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16 comments:

Margaret said...

PS: If you're local and you like to walk, you might want to check out my latest City Walk at South Pasadena Patch: http://southpasadena.patch.com/articles/city-walk-tackling-the-alpha-hill#video-8873269

Tony Van Helsing said...

One of the best interpretations of Greek mythology I've read in a long time. The thought of startled gods with bed hair wearing quilted housecoats is now lodged in my brain. Go Nike!

Lenora said...

My 10 year old daughter and I are reading a story with Nike in it! I will have to read this blog to her tonight. Wonderful imagery!

Joanne said...

Allow me to start a chorus of voices to help Heather along ...

"You are awesome, Heather! You go, girl!"

Olga said...

Well that explains my bouncy step when I put those shoes on!

Margaret said...

Thank you, Tony.

Lenora: Are you guys reading Percy Jackson? I love those books.

Let me echo Joanne: Go, Heather!

Olga: You are very clever and you made me laugh.

Shanna said...

Always a favorite, that Nike. But I don't think I've ever laughed before when reading about her. Thanks!

Watson said...

lace up those shoes Heather and ... you GO, girl!

You can do it!
Yea! Heather!

Lindsay N. Currie said...

Hmmm, resisting the strange allure of My Little Pony. Not sure Margaret, but we might need to host an intervention for you:) Good goddess and I suspect, especially when it comes to writers or any other artists/creators who put their works out there for scrutiny, that Nike is needed A LOT!

Deb @ PaperTurtle said...

Oh yeah, just what I needed this morning! Sometimes it's easier to believe the negative voices in my brain so this was a great reminder. Go Heather!!! and GO ME!!!

Anonymous said...

Self confidence may come from within, but a little Nike never hurt.

WV: Gruglog. That's what the Norse gods sit around when toasting marshmallows.

Petrea Burchard said...

Boy howdy. All this time I've been wearing the wrong shoes.

I'm going to read about your walk, Margaret. Even when I don't take your walks I enjoy them vicariously in your articles.

Pasadena Adjacent said...

Confidence may come from within (or the top of Alpha street) but it doesn't hurt to have a few enthusiastic cheerleaders on your side....especially the enthusiasm of a pom pom wannabe

btw: do you think Typhon is related to Teflon?

Coppertop said...

Margaret, you are awesome. Love this post.

TheChieftess said...

I love this! And all I could think of while reading it...I kept seeing Nike's ad slogan..."Just Do It"!!!

Susan Campisi said...

Nike helps with KFKD Radio of the mind? I need Nike.