Pandoras Box

Most of us have heard of Pandoras box. The majority of people know the basic story that Pandora was given a box full of horrors, and she was instructed to never open it, just trust the guy that gave it to her to keep safe. But that young silly girl couldn't help it, curiosity got the best of her, and open it she did. Out of it flew all manner of trouble, horror, demons etc. But in the bottom of the box, Hope was waiting.

I have never had anyone explain it to me in a way that makes sense, but today, I think I finally understand the meaning of the story hidden in the bottom of the box, waiting to be uncovered beneath the story that we have been told.

Today, while doing my stretches, meditation, and grief work, I found something new hiding beneath my grief, pain, and trauma. I found Peace. I found Joy. And I found my lost hopeful excitement from girlhood. All hiding under the buried grief and pain. As we age, the things we "lost" about ourselves through trauma and survival can be, at least somewhat, recovered. That spark might turn into a full ass fire if I tend to it, and keep it alive, and most importantly if I continue to face all of those demons that are flying out that damn box I was given.

This is how I think the story can be interpreted for modern times.

Pandora was a young girl, bright, playful, strong and lithe. She loved to run and dance and play, and she was so in love with life that every day was special and filled with magic. Zeus was a major piece of shit, and used Pandora in ways that deeply harmed her, thus "giving her a box or jar filled with evil". Then he instructed her to carry this around with her, keep it locked up tight, don't tell anyone and never open it. But she couldn't help herself, she could hear things in there that made her uneasy. There were smells that made her heart race, and it was just so damn heavy. She just had to know what the hell was in that damn box that was so important to keep it a secret. As it turned out the gift that Zeuss gave her wasn't a gift at all, but a curse. She was carrying around a box full of demons, disease, fear, and pain. It was the opening of the box that made all of those things more visible, louder, and even affected the people around her more than they ever did tight in that box.

(Here is the part they don't really tell you.) She faced those demons, each and every one. She looked them in the face and dealt with them head on, and as she did she began to heal from the terrible "gift" that she never asked for. What she found under all of the trauma, pain, and grief, was Hope. Hope for healing, Hope for Recovery, Peace, and once again Joy.

Perhaps the deeper story is a story of healing from trauma. At least, that's how I am going to think of it from now on.