Haunted by Homer’s Sirens
This particular poem helped me to think about a challenge that I was facing in a different way, and helped me try to bring some sense to it. It was a catalyst to help me focus on the present and the “now,” and the worries that come with all of the things that you can’t control, in the future and the past, need to be chased out.
<p>About seven months ago, our son was in a tragic ski accident, and was in a coma for close to a month. And during that really painful time, we didn’t know what was going to happen. Was he ever going to wake up? Was he not going to wake up?</p>
<p>I, myself, couldn’t sleep and I was haunted all the time by thoughts of what might happen to him in the future, and how did this happen, and thinking about the past. And I remember thinking in one of those late-night moments about “The Odyssey” and about the description of the sirens on the banks. Of Odysseus asking to be tied to the mast, and having beeswax in his sailors’ ears, and realizing I had these kind of spirits that were haunting me.</p>
<p>In that context, I remember thinking very directly, “I know what those sirens are. I know what that’s about.” I didn’t know before then what—at least for me—that poem was saying. And at that moment, I realized the sirens were really from the future and from the past, and that in dealing with this situation with our son—the only way to deal with this—was by staying very much in the present.</p>
Homer
The Odyssey
Kevin Guthrie, founder/president, ITHAKA
kevin-guthrie-homers-sirens
The Injury
For most of my life I had been focused on one thing, goal, and desire. This obsession was football and getting to the highest level possible. I had been playing since I was little, then into high school, and saw myself playing through college. After my junior season of high school, I transferred to a new school hoping to get more scholarship offers. This decision paid off, and at the end of my senior year I had 10 scholarship offers and committed to LSU. I eventually signed in February 2019, and enrolled in June.
Before leaving for college I was aware of numerous back injuries that started my sophomore year in high school, but I wanted to push through since this was my dream and football had been my life. Once I arrived at LSU and went through my physical exam, my back was worse than expected. After examination, it was determined that I shouldn't play anymore because I could further injury myself and become paralyzed. I was very disappointed in myself and felt like all my hard work was down the drain, but at the same time relived that I was free to do whatever I want now.
This is my humanities moment because although all the work I had been putting into to one goal was over, I came to a realization of all the things I had missed out on growing up and what's really important. This gave me the opportunity to spend more time with family, and not be 700 miles away. It also gave me a chance to still be a student and go to college, while having the opportunity to work for my father in the family business, which I never had the chance to before because I was so dedicated to my sport. So, what could have been a dark time, turned out to be a blessing in disguise and a great humanities moment.
Summer 2019
Connor Vonhof, 18, Student/Entrepreneur
the-injury