How I Learned to Stop Caring and Love Garfield by Isabel

How I Learned to Stop Caring and Love Garfield by Isabel - October 2021 Scholarship Essay

The Greek God Dionysus contained a duplicity. In one, he was hedonism itself, the embodiment of lust for life and a love of everything vibrant, unfettered, beheld by all and adored by the Bacchantes. In another, he was frenzy, the madness of man, unhinged and oversaturated with all semblance of self control gone. In 1978 the very first Garfield comic was published in the papers, and the modern Dionysus was reborn in the body of an orange tabby.

Lasagna, naps, gluttony and the unrestrained love for a life led exactly in the way he desired. On the other paw, uncaring violence in striking Odie off a table, or launching Nermal over a fence. The Bacchus-esque hedonism turned into bloodlust - a chair leg shredded for the fun of it. The two sides of a coin, so emblematic of the Grecian deity, so reminiscent of humanity itself - for indeed, Dionysus, and in modern times, Garfield, are simply the representation of humanity in all its potential for love and hate, delight for life and mockery of self-restraint, sharing in bounty and jealously fighting and hoarding.

Upon long reflection, I have elected to delight in the events of my life. The smallest things can have meaning and beauty if I only allow myself to find it. So, too, do I accept the other side of the coin - anger, jealousy, fear - I have learned that these things are not signs of moral corruptness, not in myself nor in anyone else. Merely, they are facets of our humanity, and always have been, negative emotions should be accepted, respected, and processed with reason and a forward outlook. Like Garfield, I find delight in the life I live, and when something bad happens, I remember that it's only as meaningful as a three-panel comic, and it will pass in time. I've learned to stop caring - and love Garfield.