I Shall Have Life

As I was finishing up my blog site for the semester, I perused over my older posts, notes, etc. and came to this conclusion: maybe the reason for having the blogs is so that we can all have life just as Ovid says at the end of the Metamorphoses. Just as we gave Ovid life by reading his poem, we give each other life by reading the posts on our sites. The past, once again, possesses the present! So, as long as you are reading this, I too shall have life.

Scapegoats-Who Knew?

I chose to write my paper and do my individual presentation on scapegoats because the topic was not only an important part of the past, but it is hugely obvious in the present. However, even as prevalent as scapegoating is in our culture today, I was still surprised by the response to the topic. Maybe it was just the fact that two consecutive presentations dealt with scapegoats (mine and then Brian's, which I found extremely amusing-loved the Ace Ventura bit), but maybe it was the fact that almost everyone can relate to scapegoating. At some point or another, we have all probably been on both sides of the scapegoating mechanism. This thought was only reinforced after browsing through the recent bloggings of my classmates. Several people had been inspired to write about scapegoats: Cassi and Danielle had stories about being the scapegoat, Ross wrote about Jesus as a scapegoat, Alison brought up the idea of metaphorical scapegoats, and Jann discussed many modern scapegoats, including guns. I am in awe of how interested we as humans are in the act of scapegoating. It seems to be a trait that has and always will be a part of what makes us human. The desire to scapegoat seems to cross all of the usual barriers; sex, ethnicity, age, religion, etc. Why is it that the one thing that we have used to unite us since the beginning of time involves the destroying of another? Does this prove that people are all inherently bad instead of inherently good? Or, does it simply prove that we are too lazy or lack the knowledge to find the true answer to the problem? Honestly, I don't know, but it is certainly something to ponder.

Five Lines

Maybe the most difficult task of the semester was choosing just five lines from Ovid as my favorite. I was both impressed and moved by the lines that others chose: the lines from Pythagoras were scholarly and probably the most encompassing of the whole book, the lines from Europa were "where it all began," the lines from Orpheus were filled with deepest love, and the lines from Arachne were as beautiful as the tapestry they described. Yet, I still
stand by my lines:

"The moon was three nights short of rounding out
its horns. But when its circle was complete
and shone in full upon the earth, then she,
in a loose robe, barefoot, her hair uncombed
and unadorned, went out to wander through
the silences of midnight."
-pg. 216 from the story of Medea and Aeson

It is within these lines that I can see myself, and I am comforted by the image of home. I see myself walking well into the night with only the moon for my guide. My hair and clothes are of no concern. There is no one there to see me and no one to see, but I am surrounded. I am covered by the thick blanket of night, tucked in securely with my thoughts, and at that moment, everything makes sense and anything is possible.