Creation Myth

In my mythology class, we had to write our own creation myth. I thought I'd share mine, because I'm really happy with it. We talk a lot in the class about how myths shape culture, so I started mine with the idea of writing a myth that would shape the kind of culture I'd want to live in. Here's my attempt:

Before everything, there was the great ocean, vast and dark. Its depths were still and silent. Countless ages passed. Then the waters began to stir, a great turbulence from which arose a being, neither male nor female. This being was the First One. The First One looked around and saw that there was nothing but the great ocean. "I will make something," said the First One to itself. It stretched out its hands and tried to take hold of the water, but the water slipped through its fingers. The more it tried to hold the water, the faster the water slipped through its fingers. The First One thought for a while. Countless ages passed. Then the First One began to spin and spun itself apart into two distinct beings. One being was male and the other being was female. The male and the female looked at themselves and at each other and saw that they were beautiful. "I name myself, Wisdom," said the female. "I name myself, Love," said the male.

Wisdom and Love embraced and where their bodies touched, light shone. The light grew so bright that they could not bear to look at it, so they gathered it into their hands and hung it far above themselves. Once the light was shining down on them, they bent to their work. Together they cupped their hands in the water, collecting it with gentle strokes. They shaped the water carefully and then they breathed on it. Where their breath mingled, the shape grew firm and the water flowed away from it, so that became land. Love and Wisdom walked upon the land, delighting in the feel of it under their feet. Where their feet touched, plants sprang from the soil. Some plants grew tall, reaching for the light hanging far above. Wisdom and Love named these "trees." Other plants grew to cushion their feet as they walked and these were named "grass." Many plants grew, flowering plants, plants for food, even thorny plants to remind Love and Wisdom to be grateful for the soft grasses and to pay attention to where they walked. All the plants rejoiced in the bright light shining down on them, and so Wisdom and Love named that light "sun."

After a time, Love and Wisdom tired of walking. They lay on the soft ground and embraced each other. Countless ages passed. Their desire grew and they coupled. From their union, twins were born, neither male nor female. The twins embraced and where their bodies touched, light shone. The light grew bright and hurt their eyes, so they gathered it into their hands and hung it far above them. But they could not see their light hanging in the sky for the brightness of the sun, so they separated the sky. In one part, which they called "day," the sun shone, and in the other part, which they called "night," they hung their light and called it "moon."

The twins knew that to honor the First One, whose name was Balance, one of them must take the name, "Joy," while the other would take the name "Sorrow." They could not choose which would bear the greater burden; each volunteered to take it on and spare the other. They went to their parents and asked Wisdom and Love how to make such a choice. "Walk through the meadows," their parents told them, "and that one of you who is first to find a thorn shall be called Sorrow." So the twins walked hand in hand through the meadows until one cried out, for a thorn had pierced its foot. The injured twin, now named "Sorrow," reached down to pick up the thorn, tears of pain in its eyes. To comfort its twin, the other, now named "Joy," touched the thorn, and from its branches grew a new flower, loveliest and most fragrant of all the flowers. This is why the most beautiful flowers always have thorns.

Sorrow and Joy looked around at the earth. Joy cried tears of happiness at its beauty and where the tears fell, animals appeared, horses and dogs, seals and dolphins, all manner of animals which live on the earth and in the seas. Sorrow cried tears of grief at the earth's emptiness and where the tears fell, creeping, crawling, slithering creatures appeared, snakes and spiders, sharks and eels, all manner of creatures which hide in darkness. In some places, Joy's and Sorrow's tears mingled, and in these places, humans appeared, the most balanced of earthly beings, carrying both sorrow and joy in their souls.

The humans saw Love and Wisdom standing in the distance and were dazzled by their beauty. Many of the humans longed to be in the presence of that beauty and throughout their days, they looked frequently to the horizon to gaze upon Wisdom and Love. But other humans could not bear to see such beauty, for their hearts held more sorrow than joy, and so they turned away to look only at what lay in their path. And to this day, seeking Love and Wisdom brings joy to our hearts, while those who turn away find only sorrow.