What's in the Box?

The other day I overheard a mother complain that her 7th-grader was "forced to study mythology" in class and that it was "stupid and a waste of time."

Pity, I thought. I find such pursuits enrich our view of the world and are a wonderful compliment to the more practical disciplines. More ironic was another quote from the woman: The classic line, "When is he ever going to need that stuff."

Ironic because that same night, Steve was watching a snippet of "Are you Smarter than a Fifth Grader" and the contestant, with hard cash on the line, was asked: What did Prometheus steal from the gods and give to man?" He, of course, didn't know because he obviously attended a school that emphasized "things he needed to know."

I digress. Bad Influence Girl had a recent, heartfelt post, about being All In. It's a post about believing the 'other' in your relationship is All-In, has shown his cards, anted-up, thrown all his reserves into the game, the battle, the relationship....only to discover that he's held something in reserve, that he's not 'all-in.'

Most of us can relate to throwing all our heart and energy into the fray only to discover that the other person is not giving 100%. I've done it and have grappled with the resulting self-recrimination: I thought he was worth 110% He didn't feel I was worth 100% Why? What is it about me that made him feel I wasn't worth the total effort? The likelihood is that there is a girl out in the world that will cause him to be 'All In.' What quality does she possess that I lack?

Bad Influence Girl wrote:
"as always reality interferes with our sincerest fantasies.

the truth is that you never know where your life will take you but you always think you have a shot at figuring it out. and maybe you do… if you eyes are all the way open all the time.

but whose are? who manages not to let their fantasies cloud their judgement? no one that’s who."

This rings as true as the finest Wedgwood. But what are fantasies (realistic fantasies of course, not fantasies about being Princess Latexia II of Leatheria, Destroyer of faithless, half-hearted men) if not hope? Hope for our future? What human does not hope?

This leads me back to the wisdom found in mythology. Even if it provides no answers, Greek myth certainly certainly had a flare for raising questions about the nature of man, woman and hope.

Pandora was the first human female. Pandora means 'all-gifts' because each God gave Pandora a gift. Pandora did not arrive without baggage because like most women she doesn't go anywhere for more than a day without some fully-packed luggage.

Pandora brought her famous box (and yes, who doesn't love the double-entendre). She couldn't open that box but like any self-respecting woman, she could not help herself. We all know what happened when the box was opened. Out flew all the ills of the world: disease, poverty, Dr. Phil....

When the box was closed only hope remained.

I love the magnificent ambiguity of this tale. Was hope saved for mankind by keeping it in the box? Or, because the things that were released from the box became part of our world, does this mean hope is not in the world? That hope is an illusion?

I don't know the answer or even if an answer exists. I appreciate ambiguity. My romantic nature leads me to believe that the first woman brought hope to man, that women are the progenitors of hope.

As for being 'All In?' There are things beyond our control. We can't make anyone commit 100% to anything. I do believe that there is a nobility in knowing this and still taking the risk that feelings may not be reciprocated. The love we bestow should never be conditioned on reciprocity. This attitude makes love difficult. The joy is doubled, as is the pain when things fall apart.

And when things do fall apart, there's always hope.