The word “hero” keeps coming up. When Evan went back to work (as a nurse) in 2020 after his parental leave was over, everyone was so terrified of Covid. We were so scared to give it to our newborn baby girl! Or to my mom, who was staying with us. When Evan came home from that first day of work, we had this song blaring and a cocktail ready for him in the shower. It was such a scene. Evan stripped down naked in our laundry room and then ran naked to the bathroom with Foo Fighters playing.
This Saturday was Evan’s last day of work. We all (mom included) sat in the backyard with a cocktail for Evan. As he rode up on his bike from his last day, we played Foo Fighters again.
Evan reminded me how much we loved this meme in 2020:
Yesterday, as I was telling the woman ripping the hair off of my vagina about quitting our jobs and taking this big adventure, she said, “You’re my hero.” (which, lady, you are MY hero, but thank you.)
This word feels heavy, but also majestic to me. I always think of Odysseus, Homer’s original hore hero.
And now I can’t stop thinking about The Hero’s Journey. Bluey actually reminded me of the Hero’s Journey the other day.
(Bluey is so good… I’m sure every other parent knows about Bluey, but if your kid watches TV and isn’t watching Bluey, what are you doing??)
The Hero’s Journey is something that is in so many stories we love, but we rarely look directly at it. I love love this chart.
This chart breaks down The Hero’s Journey of Star Wars, The Lion King, Lord of the Rings, and more—all side-by-side. (so cool, tho do I wish there was a lady hero highlighted.)
Tomorrow, I leave the country with my husband and three-year-old daughter. I leave the unknown. I don’t want to assume that I have a hero’s journey ahead of me, but I do feel empowered in a magical way. I do feel that call. I feel that need for new skills. I am ready for a death and rebirth. Wait, do I also get a gift??
I picture Odysseus gearing up for his journey the same way I have been gearing up. Did he also hate every piece of clothing he owned and simultaneously over-pack? Did he also almost throw-up one night from adding up how much everything was going to cost? Did he have minor panic-attacks about leaving his ordinary world? Did he get one more date with Penelope and instead of talking about all the logistics of the journey, they just kind of relaxed into each other and barely talked about anything? In the best way?
Yes. Yes, this is the Hero’s Journey. I have been called—if by nothing else than the beat of my heart acting like a strong compass, pushing me from my chest to the way of this adventure. I know there will be trials and failures. I know my daughter is a toddler and toddlers be toddlering. I know death and rebirth are not easy things, so hoping for them is asking for a lot of tears. I know that three months is a short time for a whole-ass Hero’s Journey (Odysseus was TWENTY YEARS. does anyone know—by chance—how many pairs of jeans he packed?), but I’m ready. I’m ready for the journey, for the adventure. I’m so ready. Let’s fucking go.
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