Advent Day Fourteen: Chimeras

Chimeras, what a great word. It definitely goes onto the list of possible titles for future exhibitions. The origin of the words comes from Greek mythology, Chimera was a fire-breathing hybrid of a monster but I prefer the meaning as it is used in the quote below from Muriel Barberry’s The Elegance of the Hedgehog. (A fantastic book you must read if your haven’t.)

Personally I think there is only one thing to do: find the task we have been placed on this earth to do, and accomplish it as best we can, with all our strength, without making things complicated or thinking there’s anything divine about our animal nature. This is the only way we will ever feel that we have been doing something constructive when death comes to get us. Freedom, choice, will and so on? Chimeras.

We think we can make honey without sharing in the fate of bees, but we are in truth, nothing but poor bees, destined to accomplish our task and then die.

I know, I know, not the most uplifting quote for a Monday. But these realizations also remind us of something that Paul Tillich said, “Suffering introduces you to yourself and reminds you that you are not the person you thought you were.” 

I embrace the chimeras. Every single day. Sometimes I call it magical thinking, but more than once it has gotten me through a challenging day. And with that, I am going to ride my bike in the woods in the middle of December, because everything is better amongst the trees.