Children and Myths

A few weeks ago, in the Goodwill store in downtown Oakland, I found a set of tapes of D’Aulaire’s Greek Myths.  One tape was missing, but the storytellers sounded good– Paul Newman, Matthew Broderick, Sidney Poitier, and Kathleen Turner. So I decided to drop the $1.49, and took the incomplete set home.  We had a couple of long car rides in the following weeks, and at this point, we have probably listened to all three tapes 20 times over.  I went to Walden Pond Books (simply the best book store in Oakland) and they ordered in the book for me, along with D’Aulaire’s Norse Mythology, recently reissued with a forward by Michael Chabon.  We have been immersed in Greek and Norse mythology ever since.  And man, Joseph Campbell was on to something– these stories are extremely powerful.  We have responded to them on many levels.  

Intellectually, I am amazed at the effect the stories have had on my childrens’ vocabularies.  For example among Athena’s attributes is the fact that she was a just goddess, although she could be very stern.  Last week, my 7 told someone that a certain teacher at her school was very fair, but also very stern.  She has recognized and internalized the attributes of Athena, so that she sees them in others.  And she hasn’t even read Bolen’s “Goddesses in Every Woman.” 

The stories thoroughly explore dark emotions in a way that is very accessible.  My 5 year-old son was very disturbed by Hades’s kidnaping of Persephone, remarking how mean it was to take her away from her mother, even if he was so in love with her.  My astute little children questioned me about the concept of jealousy, after listening to all the accounts of jealous, powerful Hera and her relentless persecution of Zeus’s other wives– “Mom, what would you do if Daddy married another wife?”  –”I would probably lose my temper just like Hera, dears.”–”Oh.”  Since we know children who have been weathering the storms of divorce, and seeing their parents pass through other relationships, I have to think it helps my little one ones to have an archetypal frame of reference, to try to fit all the pieces in the puzzle of life.  Jealousy, envy greed, pridefulness, perfidy and outright murder figure prominently in these stories. 

Religiously and spiritually, the Greek myths informed and enriched our celebration of Hannukah this year, in new and interesting ways.  We played a spontaneous game the kids dubbed “Maccabees Forever!” in which they, the religious freedom fighters, tried to reason with me about their right to worship their one G-d.  ” One G-d?”  I, the Greek despot, scoffed.  “What can just one little god do?  We have so many, and they are all powerful.  You had better worship and sacrifice to Zeus and all the gods and goddesses of Olympus, if you don’t want to go to jail!”

“I’ll tell you what one G-d can do!” my lttle warriors roared back at me “Everything! Your temples and statues are beautiful, but your gods are JUST STORIES!!!” 

“Zeus will strike you down with thunderbolts!”  I shouted.

They folded their arms and smiled.  “We’re waiting,” my daughter said calmly.  So, we talked about religious differences, and what a being so supreme as to create all of reality is really likely to care about.  And how religious beliefs differ, and everyone’s belief is sincere, and why we believe what we believe, and what it means to respect the beliefs of others.    Of course, my kids are only 5 and 7, so these discussions are brief and to the point and accented with a lot of silly comments.  But at least the seeds are planted in their little brains.

The stories also make them pay attention to the stars, and the constellations.  Both kids can find Orion, and know he staggers into the sea whenever Scorpio appears. 

All in all, I think I never spent a better $1.49.  I’m sure we will eventually return to obsessive listening to other books on tape.  Particularly when the next Harry Potter comes out.  And if someone has recorded the Norse myths, that one will be next on our list. 

Compassion

I’m reading a book called Field Notes on the Compassionate Life /A Search for the Soul of Kindness.  This is the time of year when I have the strongest urge to withdraw– to detach, to hunker down, to contract away from the growing darkness, the lengthening nights.   This book is like lighting candles at night– a good antidote to all the pain and negativity crowding in all around.  The author, Marc Ian Barasch, has loaded this book with religious takes on the subject, and also scientific notes on studies of compassionate behavior between animals, philosophy, and even practical advice, ranging from the Dalai Lama to Yoko Ono.  “Transform jealousy to admiration/and what you admire/will become part of your life. ”  That was Yoko.  He also quotes a 16th century rabbi as admonishing us to remember that everyone we meet is involved in a terrific struggle.  Everyone. We. Meet. It’s true, isn’t it?  Everyone has something going on. 

This week, I am practicing looking for the light in other people– seeking out their spark.  Even opposing counsel.  Even those who seem horribly clueless, possibly demented.  I wish I could do a better job at this– I tend to react poorly to the person who stops in the middle of the street for no reason, to the parking meter cop who insists on ticketing me even though I am standing right there (Right There!) at the meter, looking for change in my purse. I have to do a better job at this.  I need to practice what Barasch calls casting the Good Eye, instead of the evil one.   I’m no saint.  But then again, just because a candle only makes a little light, doesn’t mean it it isn’t worthwhile to light it, right? 

Wish me luck . . .

Shopping While Living

For a long time, I have been wanting to publish an article about shopping– how to keep it local,  how to benefit the community and how to keep it painless.  My last post sort of flowed from that idea– I dearly love taking my children to the Fire on the Mountain craft shows in Auburn and Sonora.  But there are some great small businesses in O akland, and I have made it my habit to shop as locally as possible.  So, here goes– I’m going to start publishing local  shopping recommendations.  Potpourri got us started– here are a couple more for your consideration:

 Some places have an unexpected array of merchandise.  For example, if you go downtown to old Oakland, a couple doors down from Ratto’s Italian grocery store, you find Legogo– it’s a small shop, unassuming on the outside, but on the inside, you can find a few surprises.  They carry Kirkland brand cashmere sweaters; cotton pajamas; undies; Prada handbags;  Waterford crystal goblets; Coach bags; Lalique perfume bottles; Levi’s jeans.  Huge bags of dog food.  Tables; chairs; desks and garden statuary.  Dishes.  Cooking ware.  Sometimes, a washer/dryer combo will show up at a bargain price.  It isn’t Macy’s– lord, it isn’t even Costco, but you can get some fancy stuff without having to brave BART or the downtown SF pickpocket brigades.  Then, you can sit down in Cafe 817 for some refreshment.  You may even sit in the same chair where I saw Bono sitting one morning. (I thought– that guy is sure handsome.  Why does he look so familiar?  He’s smiling at me!  No wait, he’s smiling at everybody.) I was halfway back to the office before I realized who he was.  He was probably waiting for Jerry Brown.  Anyway–

After coffee at 817, you can go next door to Ratto’s and put together gift baskets.  They have a nice little selection of things from Morocco– you can make a boudoir basket of slippers, a leather pouf, and tea glasses on a silver plated tray.  Or the standard pasta, wine cheese and sauce gift basket.  They have spices in bulk, so you can put together glass jars layered with peppercorns and rosebuds, or your own special spice blends.  Or a ravioli making kit.  You can stock up your supply of pesto and pasta sauce- you know it’s as good as you can make at home!  The point is, you can shop for everyone who likes food, and give them something special and unique from a little, woman-owned, family business in downtown Oakland.  And yes, Elena is the great- grand-daughter of the man who founded the store.  Hurray for her, for keeping such a wonderful family business alive.  If you get hungry, I highly recommend the Jenny sandwich– fresh mozzarella, tomato, pesto and onion on crunchy fresh french bread.  Yum.

I’ll give you some more shopping recommendations next time– Lakeshore and Grand Avenue await!

Shalom to us all.