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Riding the Wind

Old Greek Folk Stories Told Anew (by Peabody, Josephine Preston)
The Book of the Little Past (by Peabody, Josephine Preston)
Icarus (by Russell, Bertrand)
As You Like It (by Shakespeare, William)
A Child's Garden of Verses : And Other P... (by Stevenson, Robert Louis)
The Tell-Tale Heart (by Poe, Edgar Allan)

Summer represents a sense of freedom for many people around the globe. In some countries, summertime marks the ultimate freedom—a reprieve from school commitments. It’s also the time of year that many take vacations. While some set sail for cruising the seas, others indulge in leisurely afternoons lounging on sailboats while listening to the mesmerizing lull of the sea.

Adrenaline junkies ignite their sense of freedom by hang gliding or sky-diving, while less adventurous folk flock to the beaches and sprawling grassy lawns to fly kites.

Japan’s spectacular Hamamatsu Festival, held in May, is a display of kites. Its message is one of good health and a promising future for boys. The festival dates back to the 16th century when kites flew in celebration of the birth of a son to the Lord of Hamamatsu Castle.

Lots of people around the globe equate freedom with the wind. Many quotes link the two: “As free as the wind” and “The wind in my hair, the sun in my eyes, and the open road. This is freedom, this is life.”

In Greek mythology, gods called Anemoi represented the four winds—each affiliated with a season. Another myth that hails from Greek mythology and relates to the wind is the story of Icarus and Daedalus, found in Old Greek Folk Stories Told Anew by Josephine Preston Peabody. In an effort to escape the labyrinth, Daedalus created wings which he fastened together with wax. Although he taught his son Icarus to fly, he warned Icarus to not to soar too close to the sun, since the wax would melt and destroy the wings. Freedom was achieved when the duo successfully soared onward, marking a first for man defying gravity. Icarus, however, disobeyed his father’s warning and died.

Many literary greats have referenced the power and freedom of the wind, such as William Shakespeare in the play As You Like It. One of the lines, “Blow, blow, thou winter wind, Thou art not so unkind,” refers to the harsh manner in which people can approach one another.

Robert Louis Stevenson’s poem, The Wind in A Child’s Garden of Verses: Selected Poems states, “I saw you toss the kites on high, And blow the birds about the sky; And all around I heard you pass, Like ladies’ skirts across the grass—O wind, a-blowing all day long, O wind, that sings so loud a song.” Edgar Allen Poe’s short story “The Tell-Tale Heart” also mentions the wind.

For many, the four ancient elements of air, earth, water, and fire explained the complexity of the world. In the Roman Catholic faith, wind symbolizes the Holy Spirit. In Hindu, the word for wind is “Vata” meaning to blow, while “Prana” means breath or a life-giving force. The Wind Horse is Tibet’s mythical creature, which represents good fortune and uplifting life force energies.

By Regina Molaro