THE JOY IS IN THE LABOUR
In Greek Mythology, Atlas was a titan who was responsible for bearing the weight of the heavens on his shoulders, a punishment bestowed on him by Zeus. Atlas was given this task in retribution for him leading the Titans into battle, or titanomachy, against the Olympian Gods for control of the heavens.
The most famous myth involving Atlas is his role in the Twelve Labours of Hercules. Hercules was commanded by King Eurystheus to steal the golden apples from the fabled gardens of the Hesperides. On the advice of Prometheus Hercules asked Atlas to retrieve the apples for him, while Hercules, aided by Athena would take the burden of the heavens on his shoulders giving Atlas a respite from his duty and also the freedom to steal the apples. Upon returning with the apples, Atlas was reluctant to resume his responsibility and attempted to leave Hercules with the weight of the heavens on his shoulders.
"Sometimes, we outsource that which we value because we don’t know that the value is in the effort not the product."
-Mark Twight
Hercules very nearly missed his destiny because of his willingness to outsource his task. Had he been less fortunate, he would have had to carry the heavens until the end of his days, failed in the pursuit of his labours, and he would not have been glorified as one of the greatest Greek heroes of all time.
"The Hero is the champion of things becoming, not of things become, because he is."
Extract from the book: A Hero with a thousand faces
By Joseph Campbell.
We have often covered the subject of the becoming. The importance in all we endure is not to serve the end product or a certain achievement. The becoming is the achievement. We become more so that we may endure more.
The success does not sit with the end product. We do not celebrate the result, instead we revel in the process. We submit to it. Do not shy away from the labour of your destiny. There will be many victories and failures that we may savour, we will slay ourselves again and again. But the journey is a never ending cycle of victories and defeats, each serving its own purpose.
We willingly relax into whatever my come to pass in us. Realising it a necessity to endure. Therefore the joy is not in the result. But the the Joy is in the Labour.
