~May 12
Here is the virgin goddess, Artemis,
running across the mountains of Taygetos
or up the steep hills of Erymanthos,
running with her maidens, running
with the deer, accompanied by birds,
ranging widely in the wilderness, playful
and strong and free and beautiful:
and the heart of her mother is glad.
—Homer, The Odyssey
As spring opens its doors to us, we open our doors to the springtime. We hear again the call of the outdoors. In winter we draw within, to the hearthside, to each other. But now sunny days and warming temperatures draw us out of our homes and into the freshening air.
The primary Greek goddess of wilderness was Artemis, the maiden huntress who ran with her band of merry nymphs through the forests and hills. She is preeminently the goddess of girlhood, to whom each girl was dedicated at the age of nine. Within each of us, there is still a memory of the child we once were. Full of energy and self-confidence, we ran through our days without doubting our right to our own lives. In spring’s bright days, we can find again a connection to that lost girl who still lives within us.
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