Keep Ithaka always in my mind

This Friday night, I went to a live stand-up comedy show with a friend. There were six comedians in total, and one of them was named Ithaka. The moment I heard that name, I instinctively thought it must have come from the famous poem by the Greek poet Cavafy: “As you set out for Ithaka, hope your road is a long one, full of adventure, full of discovery…” The fact that the comedian chose Ithaka as his stage name suggests that he must have been deeply moved by the poem and hoped to live by its message, just like I do.

I did not know how many people in the audience could decode and appreciate the story behind the name Ithaca, but it was a beautiful and meaningful name for me. And the comedian named Ithaka, whom I temporarily and unilaterally considered a kindred spirit, and who, like me, wished to visit many Egyptian cities one day and learn from their scholars, was only eighteen years old.

I can’t remember the first time I encountered the poem Ithaka, it was surely a long time ago, just like my high school days when I was eighteen. Yet, I still resonate with it every time I come across it and feel a sense of connection when I meet someone who is also touched by the poem.

However, I have to admit, I am no longer the carefree, geeky teenager who only needed to take care of a few things including herself and loved riding a bike to the nearby bookstores almost every day to see what new comics and novels the bookstores had gotten in. I now, like many other grown-ups, have responsibilities and obligations. I’ve become more like those people mentioned in the movie Trainspotting, the ones who want a big television at home. I’ve also seen a lot of what the world can do, and started to understand why Cat Stevens sang it’s hard to get by just upon a smile.

Nevertheless, every time I look back, I always feel lucky to have had all those books, songs, movies, and the computer as companions while I was growing up. They allowed me to experience a much bigger world, one that was beyond the reality presented to my younger self, and helped build my initial values and perception of the world. They also continue to provide me with courage and comfort, reminding me of what is important in life.

After all these years, I still don’t know what Ithaka means and how far it is, but I know I will keep Ithaka always in my mind. I also know that while not every day is like a summer morning or the harbour we’re seeing for the first time, some days will be filled with pleasure and joy.