An article by guest contributor Patricia Audrey Hakim (477 words, 3 min. read)
What if Sisyphus was happy?
In Greek mythology, Sisyphus was a character who defied the gods and tricked death not once but twice. As punishment, he was condemned to roll a massive boulder up a hill only for it to slip away and tumble back down every time he neared the top. He was forced to do this every single day, for eternity.
If we watch him from afar, without knowing his story, we might admire his strength and determination. Those muscles bulging day by day, under the weight of a huge stone, are impressive!
But what if the boulder was a metaphor?
What if the real story is not about punishment but about life?
Because life is a series of challenges. And the best way to face one challenge after another is to boost the mindset and muster the tools to manage them.
Challenges give us meaning and purpose. To reach a specific goal, we take on hard work and grit. In that way, the challenge becomes a means to an end.
So maybe Sisyphus is not just pushing a rock. Maybe he is striving for something more on top of that mountain like a reward, a dream, or a moment of peace.
Okay, so the boulder rolls back down, every single day. What if he takes a breather up there before going back down?
By having a bird perch on his shoulder as they watch the wondrous sunset together. Or maybe he wants to captivate a girl with his Herculean physique and be rewarded with a sweet kiss. Or maybe, he’s a thrill seeker plotting to defy the gods all over again.
We each have our own path and destiny. Life is bumpy, tough, and unfair but without the roughness we wouldn’t appreciate the softness of a wondrous sunset or a sweet kiss. They would become ordinary instead of extraordinary.
I am not a philosopher or an academic to analyze the myth of Sisyphus so intricately. But I am allowed to reflect on it and understand it the way I want.
I believe life is a mountain we climb with boulders of our own.
And so, I choose effort. I choose to keep pushing. Every hard moment will make me stronger and wiser. The greatest reward is not just getting to the top, it’s courage, perseverance, and passion that build my character and style along the journey.
Perceiving circumstances as dire will make them worse. Perceiving circumstances as opportunities fills us with enthusiastic energy.
It’s not easy. But it makes us feel alive!
My boulder rolls back down, maybe not every day, but often enough. And every time, I begin again with a frustrated sigh and a hidden smile. Always with the hope that something sweet will await me at the top.
