Growing up, I lived, quite literally, miles away from anyone, including people my own age. So, needless to say, I spent a lot of time by myself. I ran around outside, slaying enemies and climbing trees and giving empowering speeches to inanimate objects a la William Wallace, but I also spent a lot of time reading. I begged my mom every year on the first day of summer to take me to the library in town. It was like ritual for the two of us.
Eventually, we got a computer- a really old thing from one of my mom's friends, which quickly became mine. It weighed a ton and didn't have internet. What it did have though, was an encyclopedia, which I devoured. I read all kinds of stuff on there, but what I loved the most was the Greek mythology section. And I loved the goddess Artemis most of all.
Eventually, we got a computer- a really old thing from one of my mom's friends, which quickly became mine. It weighed a ton and didn't have internet. What it did have though, was an encyclopedia, which I devoured. I read all kinds of stuff on there, but what I loved the most was the Greek mythology section. And I loved the goddess Artemis most of all.
She was wild and kind of crazy. She ran around with wild abandon, shooting things, and avenging the wrongs in the world. I learned to shoot a bow and arrow because of her and, every time I shot, I sent up a prayer to her like I would a saint. (Note: This did not improve my aim at all. I was terrible at archery, like most other sports.)
Recently though, I watched Percy Jackson and the Sea of Monsters. While I was explaining the plot to my boyfriend, I had a bit of an epiphany. Artemis comes to play a role later in PJ, but so does another goddess who I found myself claiming as my favorite- Hestia. I even ranked Demeter above Artemis as I began flipping through the goddesses, which shocked me quite a bit.
What had happened that made me upvote these women?
Then it hit me, I'd grown up. I'd changed. My values had changed. It had been years since I'd acted like the wild, untamed goddess of the hunt. Now, I was much more calm, stable. And what goddess was more calm and stable than Hestia? Not only that, but she had a strong presence without being overbearing, something I truly admire and strive to emulate. She was a goddess everyone worshipped consistently and was respected by everyone- and not because people were afraid of her like they were the others. It was because she earned it through her calm demeanor.
I think Riordan, author of the Percy Jackson series, summed her up best with this quote from the goddess in The Last Olympian:
“I am here because when all else fails, when all the other mighty gods have gone off to war, I am all that’s left. Home. Hearth. I am the last Olympian.”
So, who's your favorite god and how do you relate to them?
Recently though, I watched Percy Jackson and the Sea of Monsters. While I was explaining the plot to my boyfriend, I had a bit of an epiphany. Artemis comes to play a role later in PJ, but so does another goddess who I found myself claiming as my favorite- Hestia. I even ranked Demeter above Artemis as I began flipping through the goddesses, which shocked me quite a bit.
What had happened that made me upvote these women?
Then it hit me, I'd grown up. I'd changed. My values had changed. It had been years since I'd acted like the wild, untamed goddess of the hunt. Now, I was much more calm, stable. And what goddess was more calm and stable than Hestia? Not only that, but she had a strong presence without being overbearing, something I truly admire and strive to emulate. She was a goddess everyone worshipped consistently and was respected by everyone- and not because people were afraid of her like they were the others. It was because she earned it through her calm demeanor.
I think Riordan, author of the Percy Jackson series, summed her up best with this quote from the goddess in The Last Olympian:
“I am here because when all else fails, when all the other mighty gods have gone off to war, I am all that’s left. Home. Hearth. I am the last Olympian.”
So, who's your favorite god and how do you relate to them?