“Vanity of vanities; ALL is vanity.” — From Ecclesiastes
WE now live in an age of extreme self-absorption. Many already believe they have become legends in their own minds. They believe the world revolves around them and that their personal happiness is paramount.
Following the lead of celebrities in the sports and entertainment world, we are being led by the media to believe that life is all about I, Me and Myself at center stage. The songs and stories in popular media all amplify and sell the story of self-love as the highest form of love.
We have all the electronic tools for self-absorption at hand: camera phones, computers, tablets, Facebook, Twitter and other forms of social media and the unceasing, unrelenting advertising messages that prick our vanity. We have become the stars in our own firmament.
It’s not a new phenomenon though. Advanced, wealthy civilizations in history have fallen for the same trap. Maybe it’s time to dredge out those stories from mythology, told and retold from the distant past so we can better understand how to deal with this disconcerting trend and see how too much self-absorption eventually lead to despondency and unhappiness.
The antidote to self-absorption, like for many ills that plague our world today, is still the same as it was in the past — love and concern for others, interest in the well-being of someone or being involved in something bigger, higher, loftier than one’s self. The idea of sacrifice still remains the most concrete, visible form of love for another.
In the end, happiness finally comes with the humble awareness and quiet appreciation of what was, what is and what is yet to come — right now, right here where we live our days and nights.
Long ago when enchanted creatures peopled the earth, there was a nymph called Echo.
She probably rated a nine and a half on a 10 point-attractiveness scale, gorgeous, knowledgeable and perfect in every way except for one thing — she was a chatterbox nonpareil. She liked to hear herself talk far too much and perhaps, with a tinge of hubris, would insist on having the last word in every conversation.
Juno, the queen of the Gods, was so irked by Echo’s habit that she meted out a punishment just for her. Echo will no longer be able to talk, except for one tiny concession — she will be able to say only the last word.
In the same forest where the nymphs lived, there was a young man named Narcissus who was so classically handsome and perfectly proportioned that all the nymphs oohed and ahhed and fell in love with him at first sight.
Picture Michelangelo’s marble sculpture of “David” in flesh and blood or a composite between diCaprio and Brad Pitt. If he were real person today, he would have made the cover of People Magazine’s “Sexiest Man of the Year.” His fans became legion that all that adulation got into his head. He became extremely vain. No nymph was good enough for him.
One day, Echo espied Narcissus while he was hunting with his peers and fell like a ton of bricks in love with him. She longed to tell him of her feelings, but in her afflicted state, she became painfully shy and simply contented herself silently watching him from a distance, shadowing Narcissus’ every move. Narcissus, however, became aware of her shadowy presence and talked her out of her hiding place. Echo could only repeat the last words of what Narcissus was saying in their conversation so she may have came out sounding like a mindless idiot, vexing Narcissus.
Besotted with love for the hunk however and believing Narcissus’ plea that she come out so they can be joined together, she finally overcame her crippling shyness and revealed herself. However, Narcissus felt she wasn’t good enough for him and scorned her for her bold presumptuousness and repudiated her total being. He sent her away devastating Echo in the most cutting words, slashing and burning her very existence, swearing he would rather die than be with Echo.
(To be continued …)
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The opinions, beliefs and viewpoints expressed by the author do not necessarily reflect the opinions, beliefs and viewpoints of the Asian Journal, its management, editorial board and staff.
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Nota Bene: Monette Adeva Maglaya is SVP of Asian Journal Publications, Inc. To send comments, e-mail [email protected]
