My Own Personal Odyssey

Discovering Deeper Meaning in Life

Years ago, in middle school, I read the classic book “The Odyssey.” It wasn’t until I completed my own Odyssey in life that I realized how great and meaningful that book was.

THE ODYSSEY

The Odyssey was written over almost 3000 years ago by Homer in ancient Greece. It’s the second oldest book in Western civilization. In the book, the main character Odysseus goes on a great adventure, an odyssey. After completing his military service in the Trojan Wars, Odysseus was stranded with a few men on a foreign island. For ten long years of fighting in war he simply wanted to get back home to his wife, son, and property.

While sailing back to his homeland, he landed from island to exotic island. He used trickery to escape from a giant Cyclops, fought against the spell of a witch, and literally went to hell and back to see his family again.

Eventually after several years he makes it back to his family and property. He still had one last mission to complete: battling the princes and aristocratic men who were trying to marry his wife and steal his property. After all of this, Odysseus finished his quest and got to live in peace with his family again.

REFLECTING ON MY OWN PERSONAL ODYSSEY

After living life some and having my own personal odyssey, this book became much more relatable and personal to me.

Once I graduated from high school, I went to college for a few years. I felt lost in what I wanted to do in life. I proceeded to join the Army, fight in a foreign war, and eventually found my future wife.

After I left the Army, I graduated from college and started my career in business. Since then, I’ve become a supply chain engineer, property owner, and a father to a beautiful daughter. I was then drawn back into reading and writing about the Classics and studying great thinkers, such as Home, Nietzsche, and Plato.

So, there I was, last year. At the age of 40, I came full-circle and re-read “The Odyssey." It was then that I saw myself in the shoes of Odysseus. Like Odysseus, I went on my own odyssey and fought in a war in a foreign land. After a while, I just wanted to get back home to my loved ones and future wife. Just like Odysseus, I faced challenges and overcame them in college and the workplace to become successful in life. I was tricked and conned a few times in the workplace like Odysseus was by a witch. Like him, I learned a valuable lesson to not always trust everyone and to trust my senses.

Reading "The Odyssey” again has helped me to reflect on my own life and find deeper value in it.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

• Read the “The Odyssey” early on in life.

• Do some living and re-read the book years later to find deeper meaning in your life, you won’t regret it.