There is this story I heard once, about the Greek hero Odysseus and what happened to him when he sailed home after the end of the Trojan war.
Odysseus, the Greeks say, will come across the sirens at one point in his voyage.
The Sirens, according to the Greeks, were beautiful creatures who sang the most beautiful songs that lured sailors to divert out of their destination and head towards a shipwreck.
The Greeks never said what exactly it was that the sirens were singing about, but as I have my chicken rice here, it occurs to me that the Sirens were probably singing about love and relationships in a very flattering way.
They probably sang to the sailors about what great men the sailors were, and how they could love the sailors with all their heart and how they will die with a broken heart if the sailors leave them to sail towards their destiny.
Imagine how you would feel if you were a sailor. There you are half dead from sailing towards a destination you barely believe exists when you suddenly come upon these beautiful creatures who are telling you that you will be doing them a favour by letting them do you a favour.
Isn't that how we all get entangled in relationships in the first place - because somewhere along the way, at a point where we are tired of seeking something that we believe exists although we do not know what is it that we are seeking for, someone will come to us and offer us in the most beautiful way, to forget what we are seeking and be with them instead, so that they might soothe our weary soul if we would only accept their companionship.
According to the Greeks, if you listen to songs of the sirens, not only will you never reach your destination, you will likely drown like a fool too.
And how do the Greeks advise you to escape the lure of the sirens?
According to the Greeks, Odysseus tied himself to the mast of the ship and poured wax in the ears of his crew.
When they passed within the range of the siren, only he could hear the siren's song, but although he thrashed against the ropes that tied him, lured by the siren's song, he couldn't break free.
His crew on the other hand, with wax in their ears, were unperturbed by the siren's song.
The Greeks, I suppose, are saying that you can't fight the sirens with sticks or stones. or weapons.
When the sirens beckon you towards a shipwreck with beautiful promises of beauty, warmth, understanding and companionship, the hero in you should just pour ears in your wax and not listen to a single thing they have to say until you sail away to safety.
If you can't help but desire to listen to the siren's song, then at least tie yourself to something secure that will prevent you from doing something stupid when you are lulled by the sirens call.
I think an appreciation of solitude is something secure that every hero can depend upon to save from the shipwreck that is a relationship.
If you appreciate solitude, no matter how strong the lure of a relationship, your appreciation of solitude will prevent you from doing something stupid, like head to a shipwreck like buffalo in heat.
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