this step with Orpheus

Have you ever heard of Orpheus?

In the Greek myths, Orpheus was a beautiful musician who was deeply in love. One day his beloved was bitten by a snake and tragically died. Her spirit was whisked to the underworld, the place where all mortals go when their life on Earth ends.

Heartbroken, Orpheus made the nearly impossible journey — I say “nearly” because there are quite a few myths where heroes somehow find themselves in the underworld while still alive, which begs the question, “How hard was it really?” But I digress. — to plead for the return of his beloved from the cruel god of the dead.

Hades initially refused, but his queen (another tragic tale) was so moved by Orpheus and his great love that she begged her husband to free the girl. Hades consented under one condition: Orpheus must make the long journey back to the world of the living without turning around. If he so much as glanced over his shoulder at her before their arrival, the deal was off.

And so, Orpheus began his climb —

Isn’t that what trying to change yourself feels like?

It’s like you’re climbing these stairs through darkness, this better version of you in tow.

Up.
Up.
Up.

Step by step through the long dark of the underworld, climbing toward this space of self-betterment. Scared to look behind you, for fear nothing will be there. Trudging onward.

I get so caught up on “betterment” being this place you arrive at, this landing — this point of change. It’s as though someday I’ll be able to say with a sigh, “Finally. I’m done. I’m fixed. I’ve mastered it all. Good job, Trey.”

That’s not really life, though —

Really, we’re all just climbing these stairs.

Some of us on stair two. Some of us on stair 3,002.

But we’re all climbing, trying to stay one step ahead of this version of us we imagine we’ll love someday.

You know what I always forget?

The person who is not yet at this theoretical, fictional end.

This person who’s here now, doing all this climbing —
he needs love too.

This version of me is doing the best I can on this step right now — right now on this beautiful, uncommonly warm February Friday in the A.

So maybe we all have a little more grace for the version of us piloting through whatever we’re facing today.

Maybe we breakdown and cry. Maybe we rest a moment. Maybe we sit in the darkness of the underworld for a bit. Maybe we enjoy the spring preview, knowing there’s still winter ahead.

The most important thing, when all is said and done, is that we keep climbing —

Oh —

And the myth ends terribly (obviously), which doesn’t serve my point. Lol.

I mean, they are called Greek “tragedies” for a reason.

In short, the doofus turns around and watches as his beloved is whisked instantly back into the dark of the underworld.

Orpheus returns to the land of the living and begins to sing heartbreaking music until the nymphs and nature spirits can’t take it anymore and tear him to pieces.

End scene —

(raises index finger) We, my friend, are not getting pulled apart by tree nymphs. We’ve got enough shit to deal with. One step at a time.