Circe

 "When we are young, we think ourselves the first to have each feeling in the world."

Not me. When I was young, it never occurred to me to think that way, or I don't remember now. But I can imagine how it can be true for others. By the way, this is a line from Circe by Madeline Miller, not the opening line.

I've been reading books that are just there, available to me. But amid that, I felt like reading Circe, remembering a friend's recommendation from some time ago or maybe because I saw it mentioned in some Reddit thread. 

Now I'm not well-versed in Greek mythology. It seems Circe is a side character in The Odyssey, which I have not read. But I very much prefer this retelling of the life of goddess Circe as the heroine of her own epic. I could relate to a few things here, learned a few things, or got reminded of things I was forgetting. I just love this kind of book. And no, I'm not going to write a review. Just some lines and my thoughts.

"...in a solitary life, there are rare moments when another soul dips near yours, as stars once a year brush the earth. Such a constellation was he to me." It's funny how I can relate to this, but also not exactly. Makes me smile. That's good, but talking about solitude reminded me of something. That it can be a tool for self-discovery. It's in solitude that Circe transformed from a desperate nymph into a formidable goddess, building a life and mastering her crafts.

"Humbling women seems to me a chief pastime of poets. As if there can be no story unless we crawl and weep." As if. 

"It was as if...as if all this while, my eyes had been waiting for just that shape." I feel like I know this feeling, and in the future, it will be like a deja vu, though it will be the first time when it happens. I can be optimistic, alright.

"...a contained quality to him, a quiet assurance that made him companionable without being intrusive." I do appreciate this quality in someone. 🫶🏻

"He does not mean that it does not hurt. He does not mean that we are not frightened. Only that: we are here. This is what it means to swim in the tide, to walk the earth and feel it touch your feet. This is what it means to be alive." I think I'm not fully alive, but thanks.

Okay, that's it. I don't enjoy writing long blogs.