One thing that came to mind is "Damn'd if you do and damn'd if you don't"...Imagine if Roger Bannister had never broken four minutes or, using a current example, Josh Kerr came really close, but never broke the mile world record. Say these were obsessions and they never quite got them done. As much as achieving such goals and gaining glory doesn't solve all of our problems, it can also be torturous when we fall just a little short. It's a real challenge to let that go. It's like it's in our nature to be unhappy. I think the Buddhists touch on this when they say life is suffering and you have to let go of the "want".
Haven't there been surveys of Olympians where they say something like they'd give up 20 years of their lives if it meant they could win a medal?
From my memory, Odysseus was an ancient badass. He killed the suitors that tried to shack up with his wife while he was gone for ten years. And I think he ordered the execution any of the servant/slave girls that were disloyal and aided the suitors. I haven't seen the movie yet. I need a window for a three hour film.
Ancient Greece and Rome are of great interest. There's so much to learn from them. What's past is prologue.
Steve, you are a man of many turns. Reaching back nearly 3,000 years to illuminate a condition still ongoing, the path of a life through hardship, perseverance, triumph and aftermath. What I really enjoyed was the linkage of Odysseus' travails with the challenges we find, not only in sport, which is a microcosm of most of our lives, but our lives themselves. Some of your finest writing imho.
Good stuff, Steve!
One thing that came to mind is "Damn'd if you do and damn'd if you don't"...Imagine if Roger Bannister had never broken four minutes or, using a current example, Josh Kerr came really close, but never broke the mile world record. Say these were obsessions and they never quite got them done. As much as achieving such goals and gaining glory doesn't solve all of our problems, it can also be torturous when we fall just a little short. It's a real challenge to let that go. It's like it's in our nature to be unhappy. I think the Buddhists touch on this when they say life is suffering and you have to let go of the "want".
Haven't there been surveys of Olympians where they say something like they'd give up 20 years of their lives if it meant they could win a medal?
From my memory, Odysseus was an ancient badass. He killed the suitors that tried to shack up with his wife while he was gone for ten years. And I think he ordered the execution any of the servant/slave girls that were disloyal and aided the suitors. I haven't seen the movie yet. I need a window for a three hour film.
Ancient Greece and Rome are of great interest. There's so much to learn from them. What's past is prologue.
Steve, you are a man of many turns. Reaching back nearly 3,000 years to illuminate a condition still ongoing, the path of a life through hardship, perseverance, triumph and aftermath. What I really enjoyed was the linkage of Odysseus' travails with the challenges we find, not only in sport, which is a microcosm of most of our lives, but our lives themselves. Some of your finest writing imho.
Wow. Thanks so much. That means a lot. This one took some work, so glad it resonated.
Brilliant Steve. You aced that assignment.
Thanks so much! It was a tough one, but enjoyed it.
I have a request from you. Could you DM me?
Chiming in to agree that this is excellent. The connection to sport and ordinary, mundane life is fierce. Thanks for writing and sharing, Steve.
Wow, this is so good.
Thanks so much!
So good.
great article on a great story
Thanks so much.
Love this analysis! Thank you